


Howdy Neighbor

by Holy_quiznak



Series: •Theme Song• [2]
Category: South Park
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, And some angst of course, Arguments, Cheating, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, Future Fic, Jealousy, Kids, Lots of it, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Money, Mpreg, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sequel, Side Ships, jobs and careers, parenting, them be parents now
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2019-09-26 21:17:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 31,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17149235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Holy_quiznak/pseuds/Holy_quiznak
Summary: The kids have grown up into adults, workers, and parents.Butters is not only faced with the struggle of parenting, but also his own parents. Can he believe there are friendly faces everywhere?Stan fears his marriage is slipping because of another man’s interference. Are there humble folks without temptation?Tweek might have to uproot the life he’s grown into due to financial issues. Will he leave the town with the ample parking day or night?To find out the answers, just spout “howdy neighbor!”•••SEQUEL TO “MEET SOME FRIENDS OF MINE”Unnecessary to read first story, though it is recommended





	1. •ONE•

**Author's Note:**

> Hello new and old readers! 
> 
> Old readers, thank you for coming back! It’s great to see you again! 
> 
> New readers, welcome! You don’t really have to read the first story, but there will possibly be a few mentions of it in this story. I’ll try to briefly explain it though, when it comes. 
> 
> I hope all of you like it!

Clear blue water washed over golden sand in serenity. Birds flew over head, adding their calls to the sounds of the ocean. On the beach of Hawaii, a large veranda overlooked a mass of people who were mostly sitting in neat rows. A few were standing on a dais, awaiting the ceremony’s peak.

Kenny McCormick stood still with his hands clasped firmly behind his back. The sun leisurely sent its rays upon him, yet he felt buckets of sweat on the back of his neck. His heart pounded ceaselessly as the music finally began.

His eyes quickly washed over the crowd. His family was among them, sitting in the front row. His mother smiled wetly, his father checked his watch, and his sister beamed at him, shooting him a thumbs up when their eyes locked. Kenny swallowed thickly and smiled a bit in return.

He looked to his side, pleased to see Kyle, Stan, and Cartman respectively standing there, all dressed in black tuxes and bow ties. Of the three, Kenny couldn’t think of anyone better than his second favorite omega, Kyle, to stand right beside him in this time.

Once he felt the audience standing to their feet, he looked back. His eyes quickly targeted the figure at the end of the long rug. A breath caught in his throat and he stood, jaw slackened and eyes wide.

The perfect bride—no, perfect omega—no, perfect _person_  smiled pleasantly with his eyes staring straight into Kenny’s. His long, gold lashes fluttered over the most vivid blue eyes that could ever see the world. His pale skin was exposed from his thin shoulders to his slender arms to his delicate hands that held a bouquet of white and blue flowers. Atop his fluff of blonde hair was a crown made of blooming, white roses.

Leopold Stotch, soon to be a McCormick, walked alone down the path to a wedded life. The scene of a beautiful and peaceful beach waved behind him as the sun reflected off his skin. And Kenny watched him like Leo was a glowing dream.

No father held Leo’s arm as he walked down the aisle. Kenny felt peace at mind, knowing the man was rotting in a cell in a different land than where their vows would he said. Only Leo’s mother was there, sitting closest to the aisle in the front row across from the McCormick family.

Soon, Leo stood beside Kenny on the alter, looking radiant as ever. The alpha—dressed in a black tux with a blue tie, had his hair gelled, and wore a broad smile—felt all of the world’s luck on his side as he stared at his mate and bride with a promise of happiness.

Under the sky’s warmth, they shared lasting words to commence their unity. Of all said about puzzles and pieces; pasts and futures; nevers and forevers; they both felt the love wrapped around them.

Do they take each other to be their lawfully wedded lovers, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do them part?

They do.

With a kiss that was not their first, and certainly not their last, they were married.

•••

The reception was held just beside the beach. It was all outside with a wall-less roof over head that gleamed with a chandelier. Round tables surrounded the dance floor, each decorated with white and blue table cloth, floral centerpieces, and plates filled various amounts of food.

Kyle and Stan sat alone at one table, their tiny plates topped with half-eaten pieces of cake. The plates around them were hardly touched, due to their table-mates finding it better to dance than eat their dessert.

“Marble cake is the best,” Kyle nearly moaned as he said it, his mouth full. He was a man of 23 years.

“Fuck yeah it is,” Stan replied. He, too, was a man of 23 years. They finished their slices swiftly, an unspoken declaration between them that this was a race.

Since Junior prom in high school, the couple had been together. It had been a rocky road to get to that point, but Kyle saw the worth of it in moments like this: eating cake as if it was an extreme sport with his best friend who also happened to be his boyfriend of six years.

The omega could easily say his life was on the happier side. There was a bite mark on his neck to prove it.

Kyle triumphantly finished first, patting his mouth elegantly with the cloth napkin. He eyed his mate, watching Stan shamefully take the last bite of his cake. 

“I wonder if we can get more,” Kyle wondered aloud, scanning the room curiously. He sniffed a bit, trying to a catch a whiff of the frosted delight but his nostrils were only met with the scent of people and overly-excited alphas. He snorted.

“No no, it’s fine. We’ll get some later,” Stan was quick to dismiss the idea, as he checked his phone anxiously.

Kyle looked back at Stan in near-disbelief. In the _many_  years they have known each other, Stanley Marsh was always up for good seconds. Kyle’s stare soon turned suspicious.

“Why later?” Kyle asked, incredulously. Law school had done more than shoot a hole through his bank account. It taught him how to pursue an idea.

Stan shrugged, his eyes flickering around the room. “There’s a long line to the cake. We’d be waiting there forever.”

In the _many_  years that they have know each other, Stanley Marsh always had one tell-tale sign when he was hiding something: he shrugged.

“Stan-“ Kyle tried to confront. He was interrupted by the DJ’s voice through the speakers.

“ _Ladies_ _and_ _Gentlemen_ , _it is time for the_   _bouquet toss_!  _All you omegas gather ‘round_   _for the chance to win a new marriage_!”

“You should do it,” Stan blurted before Kyle could speak again.

“Eh,” Kyle groaned with a sloppy frown. As he’d grown, he realized he did not find being in a big crowds to be such a comfortable setting. “I don’t really... want to.”

“C’mon it’s for Butters. Kenny said he was super excited for this part,” Stan pleaded. A small smirk stretched onto his face as he leaned into the omega’s ear. His whispery breath tickled Kyle’s marking and the omega shivered. “Who knows? Maybe we’re destined to be married next.”

Stan pecked Kyle’s nose before he straightened up again. Kyle wrinkled his nose, feeling his cheeks warm up. 

“Fine,” Kyle huffed in defeat, taking the napkin off his lap. Stan smiled and stood up to hold out a hand for his mate to take. Kyle reluctantly took it. “But only for Butters.”

Stan laughed. “Alright, I’ll take that.”

Kyle was soon standing in a crowd of desperate omegas. As his body was washed through the wave of unwed mates who were eager to have luck on their side, he bumped into Wendy, whose face was one of pure determination.

“Woah, what’s with you?” Kyle asked.

“Bitch, I want a wedding,” she scowled, narrowing her eyes at the bouquet that Butters held in his hands. Kyle didn’t have time to express his incredible disbelief that someone would _want_ to marry Cartman before he was carried off again.

He was quickly in front of the group, having been pushed their since all the other omegas preferred the back where they assumed the bouquet would fall. Kyle turned his head a bit and saw Stan smiling at him brightly. _Very_  brightly.

“ _The_ _bride_ _is_ _about_ _to_ _toss_! _Omegas_ _be_ _ready_!”

Kyle watched Butters turn his back on them. Kenny stood happily beside his newly-wed husband, grinning and giving Kyle a thumbs up.

The bouquet bobbed up once, twice, and then...

Butters turned around, his eyes immediately hooking Kyle’s. The redhead tilted his head in confusion as the bride walked up to him the flowers. Butters held it out for Kyle to take.

Kyle, stuck in utter confusion, accepted it. Then he felt a tap on his shoulder. 

He turned around and Stan was there, dropping to one knee.

Kyle’s breath was caught, watching his super best friend pull out a ring box. The bouquet forgotten on the floor, the crowd screaming loudly in the background, Kyle stared with blurry eyes at Stan’s smiling face.

“Marry me?”

•••

The water just barely touch their feet as they walked across the shore. With one hand on their shoes and the other clasped together, they felt the cooling sand crunch beneath their bare feet.

Tweek and Craig strolled in silence, enjoying the glow of the moon over a glistening sea. The beauty of it caught the words from their lips. They bathed in the quietness happily.

It was Tweek’s idea to sneak out for a bit, telling Craig he was beginning to get anxious. The alpha was not hesitant to take his fiancé away from the crowd, especially since the dreaded flower toss was about to begin.

Their engagement was not greatly public. Only those who noticed the rings on their fingers knew. It was no secret that Craig would rather not make these sort of matters so public. Only a dimwit like Stan would propose for all to see. It was only a matter of time before it happened and Craig would rather not be part of the audience.

Suddenly, a loud cheer roared from where the reception took place. They instinctively looked back at the small glow in the distance. Craig clicked his tongue.

“They’re so loud,” Craig frowned, holding Tweek’s hand tighter. His omega giggled quietly.

“It’s a wedding, Craig,” he reasoned. “I wonder what happened.”

Craig huffed out a short breath through his nose. His tolerance for annoying things has slowly waned over the years.

“Our wedding won’t be like this,” Craig declared. Then his gaze turned to the ocean and the night sky filled with stars. “But I don’t mind this venue.”

“A beach wedding would be nice,” Tweek sighed happily. He leaned his head against the alpha’s shoulder. He closed his eyes peacefully. “Imagine a small wedding. Only family and close friends. The ocean behind us, we say our vows, we share a kiss, and then we’re married.” 

Craig looked down at his mate lovingly. He smiled softly at Tweek’s gently sealed eyes.

Tweek and he had been together for many years. They grew and learned together through the hardships of senior year, college, and adulthood. Every time Craig looked at Tweek, it was easier and easier to imagine the rest of his life with him. 

Craig leaned down slowly, planting a gentle kiss on his mate’s lips. Tweek returned it instantly, with the same fragility. They parted slowly, their faces a centimeter away.

“I love you,” Craig whispered. He felt the breath of Tweek’s smile on his lips.

“I love you, too.”

They planted themselves by a boulder, sitting against it and staring at the vastness of the ocean. A cool breeze blew through their hair, making it flicker and wave.

Craig held Tweek when he noticed a shiver. His head rested comfortably on the latter’s shoulder, his arms securely hugging Tweek. They didn’t say anything, but Craig could smell a growing anxiety from his mate.

“What’s wrong,” he muttered lowly in Tweek’s ear. The omega jolted.

“Jesus, Craig, that—that tickled,” Tweek rubbed his hand over his ear. Craig chuckled under his breath.

“I forgot about that,” he said. “What’s bugging you, princess?”

Tweek grunted. Craig knew he was not too fond of that nickname but the blush on the blonde’s face made it worth it.

“I need to tell you something, Craig,” Tweek spoke seriously. His chin lowered and Craig could tell the omega was chewing on his tongue.

“What?” Craig said thickly.

Tweek let out a long sigh, looking down at his fingers. When he didn’t say anything for a while, Craig ran his hand gently across his lover’s arm. From the awkward angle that Craig saw Tweek, he could tell that the latter was smiling.

Tweek looked up, a nervous smile plastered on his sharp face. “Craig... I’m pregnant.”

The alpha stared at him blankly for half a minute. His eyes staring wide at his fiancé, his lips twitched slightly in shock.

“Preg—pregnant?” Craig choked out. Tweek’s smile was faltering as he slowly nodded.

Craig looked down at the sand. The corners of his lips twitched and suddenly, a wide, ceasing grin spread on his lip.

“Pregnant,” he tested the word on his lips again, making his grin grow. He finally looked up Tweek with the most excited face Tweek had ever seen. “Pregnant!” 

Craig lunged to hold Tweek tightly, his body releasing the happiest of scents. “Tweek, you’re pregnant!”

“Yeah,” Tweek said shakily, smiling so wide he felt tears in his eyes. “You’re going to be a dad.”

Craig suddenly pulled away, holding his mate at an arm’s length away. Tears of pure joy streamed from his squinted eyes.

“I’m gonna’ be a Dad!” Craig cried out loudly. “We’re gonna’ have a pup!”

He held Tweek close again.

He was going to be a _dad_. 


	2. •TWO•

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two things

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo I’m gonna be honest  
> Writing this is like writing OCs so they are probably out of character with the show but this is like 2 decades into the future sooooo they changed I guess 
> 
> Anyway, guys, I got like 60 kudos and I’m s h o o k 
> 
> Thanks my dudes

Leo McCormick woke up to two things. One was the smell of sizzling bacon and eggs and pancakes from the kitchen, wafting into his bedroom. The other was a little girl with a freckled face grinning down at him. Her eyes glittered a beautiful baby blue and her head was topped with tangled orange hair.

She grinned excitedly, revealed her two missing teeth that she now proudly placed on her bedroom dresser so she could always be reminded that she was becoming a big kid. Well, she was now 6-years-old, and Leo couldn’t help but feel that that was becoming true too fast and she would soon leave his arms forever. Kenny had always said he had too big a’ heart for his own good.

Little Katie McCormick cupped a hand around her mouth and leaned up the bed by her tippy-toes to whisper, as if she was sharing a secret. Leo smiled softly in his morning haze, tilting his head a bit so his ear was just against her hand.

“Guess what?” She whispered.

“What?” Leo played.

She giggled softly, tickling Leo’s ear. “Daddy said it’s your—your birthday.”

Leo leaned back and gasped dramatically, causing his daughter to end up in a fit of laughs. He placed a hand against his chest for the added affect, waiting until she calmed down enough to listen before he began his dialogue. “He told you that?”

She nodded deeply, twisting her body side to side. Her eyes glittered with a mischief that Leo had always seen in his mate’s.

“Well, do you know what he’s getting me for my birthday?” Leo asked, hoping to pull out any of his husband’s birthday plans out of her. 

“He—he told me that I couldn’t tell you,” she shook her head sharply and Leo thought she was going to throw her head off with the force of her shaking. “He said it was a su’prise.”

“You won’t tell mommy?”

“Mm-mm,” she hummed in denial.

“Well,” Leo looked up in thought for a second, “how ‘bout you tell Kaden?”

He gestured his large belly that held his son. His baby was due in a month and the excitement of the new addition to the family was buzzing around the house. Katie was especially excited, having lost interest in her current brother, Korey. 

Katie eyed Leo’s bloated stomach questionably. Leo smiled patiently, awaiting her final decision.

“Okay, fine,” she caved, inching towards her developing brother. Leo grinned mischievously as she leaned in to expose her daddy’s secrets.

“Hold on just a minute, missy,” Someone interrupted by barging through the bedroom door. Leo grinned up at his husband, who was holding a platter of food in one hand and a portable table in the other. Kenny walked into the room and stared down as their giggling daughter. “You can’t tell Kaden because he doesn’t know how to keep secrets yet! He’ll just tell mommy everything!”

As he expertly set up the table with one hand, tiny Korey walked in slowly, completely concentrated on making sure the glass of apple juice he was holding did not spill.

“Hamburgers, is this breakfast in bed?” Leo exclaimed, almost sarcastically. “Oh Ken, my _very_  original knight in shining armor!”

Kenny shrugged with a smirk, placing the food down gently. “Ah it was nothing, I mean all I did was wake up an hour early to cook breakfast and get the kids ready for school. No biggie.”

“Look at you, being a _parent_!”

Kenny shot him a toothy grin. His smile was still dazzling from their days in school. A few things didn’t change: his eyes were still almond brown, his nose was still crooked, and there was still a scar on his cheek. However, now his jaw was more square and the corner of his eyes crinkled more from smiling so much. His ears were now pierced and a tattoo could just barely be seen from under his right short-sleeve. The running joke was that he was the most unorthodox-looking middle school counselor there ever was.

Junior high was the time that most people presented so it was required that every school starting at that level must have at least one omega and one alpha counselor whodealt with academic matters as well as secondary gender situations. Ever since Mr. Mackey of South Park elementary had said Kenny was fitting for a counseling position, Kenny had some vague path of what career he wished to follow.

In South Park Junior High (SPJH), Kenny was popular among the students as one of the hottest staff members of the school. Kenny never really minded the ogling stares from awkward pre-teens, and, if anything, was sort of flattered. Of course, he did mind when other pre-teens set their ogling eyes on the school nurse, who happened to be his mate. 

When Leo was not on maternity leave, he was working as the sole nurse of the school, also claiming the spot as one of the hottest staff members on campus. There was no question there, since Leo was a glowing angel with pale skin and bright eyes. His body curved nicely, even in the saggy outfits the school requires him to wear. And his smile was always sparkling and perfectly portraying his pure personality.

The school nurse and counselor held the number one spot for school sweethearts. Neither had any problem with such title. Of course, Leo was sure their children would have a problem with it when they reach the age of attending junior high and would have to deal with their parents having a better romantic reputation than themselves.

“Ah we have to get leaving soon,” Kenny sighed, looking down at the watch around his wrist. He began buttoning up his shirt when he beckoned their kids to stop doting on their mother and start putting on their shoes.

Leo placed a kiss on all the kids’ foreheads before they left. Then he shared a long kiss on the lips with his mate.

“Love you,” Leo murmured.

“Love you too, Buttercup,” Kenny smiled. “Happy birthday.”

They ignored their kids’ groans of disgust.

•••

Stan Marsh arrived at work to two things. One was a new client’s appointment—a man, who had a thick French accent over the phone, wanted a large tattoo on his back. The other was being able to see his co-worker’s new engagement ring in person.

It was a dazzling piece of jewelry that fit snugly on his thin, pale finger. More noticeable than the line of tiny encrusted diamonds was the black jewel that centered anyone’s attention. It was the most fitting ring anyone could have gotten Firkle soon-to-be Broflovski.

“Holy shit, man,” Stan commented with wide eyes as he viewed the ring from every angle on the person’s finger. “This must’ve been at least two grand!”

Firkle looked away awkwardly with an embarrassed scowl on his face, hiding his reddening cheeks before he said in his usual raspy voice, “Yeah. I don’t think it was really worth it.”

Although Firkle has mostly grown out of his goth phase, he still had a darker appeal. His clothes were mainly black and his bangs covered half of one eye. He was definitely not the most social person and would rather be left alone. However, he and Stan had some weird connection. Perhaps it was because they were both somehow tethered to their gothic roots. Or that they both had a Broflovski mate. Or that they both work as tattoo artists. Or that, because of their chosen career paths, their parents-in-law are not so happy about them.

Stan never would’ve figured he’d end up as a tattoo artists. He thought he might want to play football professionally or maybe even play guitar for a living. However, the years past and his interest in drawing has grown exponentially. His room was soon full of used sketchbooks. It really wasn’t until he got his first tattoo in the middle of senior year that he realized he wanted to spread his art onto people’s skin.

Kyle was always supportive of him, his logic being ‘well I’m going to be the breadwinner so go nuts.’ Regardless of the reasoning, it was nice for Stan to have someone back him up in his life choices when he was constantly criticized by his parents. Even Kyle’s parents were upset with Stan about it, saying Stan had to take responsibility as an alpha and take care of the family that they were sure to have. That usually resulted in Kyle and Mrs. Broflovski having a heated argument.

Sure enough, Kyle and him got married. They moved into a small apartment for a while until they both finished up with their studies. Kyle was set on law school after college and Stan attended a trade school. Near the end of law school, close family and friends received a cardfrom the couple that claimed they were having a child.

Months later, they were proud parents of their son, Nathaniel (Nathan for short), and he was certainly wayward. Nathan reminded everyone why it’s called the ‘terrible twos’, but Stan and Kyle loved him greatly. They loved having a kid *so* much, in fact, that they decided to adopt another one. So now their family portrait was of a tattoo artist father, lawyer mother, 2 (almost 3)-year-old Nathan, and 11-month-old Luther—a family who lived in a nice suburban house.

“Hey Marsh, your appointment is coming up in 10 minutes,” someone called out from the front while Stan examined Firkle’s ring.

“Alright,” Stan yelled back before readying his station. He loved his job. Sure, it have him some cramps in his hand and his back would get sore, but he’d rather live like that than behind some desk doing who-knows-what.

He and Firkle talked a bit about this and that while they prepared for the day. The omega had only been working there for a month so he was assigned to lesser jobs until he proved himself enough. So it was no question that he soon had to work on some woman’s tattoo of a butterfly.

Eventually, Stan’s client arrived. It was a gruff-looking guy with messy hair and bags under his eyes. As he came closer, Stan was a shocked to find out the man was an omega. But Kyle always said to never assume or judge or something, so Stan just smiled at him.

Just by talking to the gruff omega, Stan knew this was not going to be an easy job. The dude wanted a large, intricate tattoo that expands across his whole back that basically defaced God. And he apparently had a busy schedule so he could only do hour-long sessions, twice a week. The tattoo probably wouldn’t be finished for a month.

That was fine. It made Stan almost smile.

He liked a challenge.

•••

Tweek Tweak spent his waiting time doing two things. One was baking a vanilla cake from scratch for that night’s dessert. The other was spending time with the kids who were only sated if they were helping their mom bake.

Currently mixing the batter like a maniac on crack was precious, 7-year-old Lizzy (full name Elizabeth). Because of her hair-ties’ mysterious disappearance, her long, black hair flew around wildly as her whole body shook to the strength of her mixing, only the roots of her hair being tethered to her scalp by the blue chullo hat that covered her. Her beady green eyes stared into the bowl of soon-to-be cake and a widespread smile overtook her scratched face. It had been recently discovered that she had ADHD.

Beside her was another girl, calmly whisking away at the frosting she’d been assigned with. She giggled lightly at her sister’s antics, disregarding the few strands of her black, preferably-short hair that fell against her brown eyes. At 5-years-old, Bella (full name Isabella) had a splendid laugh that whistled a little due to her missing tooth.

Another child was in the room as well, hidden in Tweek’s still-small womb. The child had no name yet, but there was still 8 months to decide one.

“Lizzy, careful, you’re starting to spill a bit,” Tweek warned from his spot by the stove. He was cooking the actual dinner that would be served when Craig arrived at home. “It’s getting all over your hair! Try to stuff your hair in your hat or something.”

“No, no, no!” She shook her head, still smiling down at her bowl. “It doesn’t stay!”

“Well, where are your hair-ties?” Tweek placed a hand on his hip and looked at her with a disciplinary look in his eyes

“I don’t know,” she shrugged, though it was obvious she did.

“Bella, do you know where they are?” Tweek switched tactics.

“In the pillow,” Bella said before Lizzy could shush her. “She hided it there.” 

“She _hid_  it there,” Tweek corrected. 

“ _Hid_.”

Tweek laughed softly as his daughters began barking ‘hid’ at each other. As he stirred the finishing dinner, he made a mental note to check the pillows in the girls’ bedroom. 

They were placing the cake in the oven when the doorknob jiggled. Lizzy nearly made Tweek drop the tray as she gasped excitedly and flicked her hand out against Tweek’s arm. Bella and her raced toward the door, leaving Tweek to the oven. The omega soon followed them out into the living room, where the front door was swung wide open and the girls had tackled the intruding man with bear hugs.

“Hey, Hey, I’m about to fall!” Craig spouted a bit desperately. With one hand supported the Lizzy that clung to his torso, he used to other one to attempt getting a grip on something that would keep him upright.

“I got you,” Tweek rolled his eyes, catching Craig’s flailing hand. He kept his hand there even when his alpha regained balance. 

“Ah, thanks Honey,” Craig smiled, pulling in Tweek for a peck on the lips. It became a bit of a tradition whenever they parted or united. It was also a tradition for the girls to giggle.

“Okay, okay, close the door,” Tweek ordered into the air, waiting for someone to listen. It was Bella who did, unsurprisingly, because she was a precious angel. “Dinner’s ready.”

“Alright, let me just get dressed first,” Craig said, placing down Lizzy gently.

He was wearing his usual outfit of a button up shirt with a tie and dress pants, which was not the most comfortable thing to wear at dinner with a family that wore pajamas. It was, however, the proper attire for Craig’s job as a salesman for a car company. Tweek thought it looked rather dashing on his mate. It was admittedly... _attractive_ , in the sensual sense.

As for Tweek, he still worked at the coffee shop. His parents still owned the place until Tweek was finally fit to take the shop off their hands. He was an active manager of the establishment, taking charge of many aspects of the place and, considering his progress, it was likely he’d take ownership in a few years.

On Thursdays, he closed the coffee shop early, so he could prepare a proper dinner for family so they could eat together. It was a day set aside in all of their schedules for a family night.

At the dinner table, they were lively. Announcements of their days were shared. Lizzy made a painting. Bella had a new student join her class. Craig sold more tires than his buddy at work. Tweek began interviews for workers at the coffee shop. And little no-name-fetus was still developing. 

One thing led to another, and Lizzy was tossing grapes in everyone’s mouths. Craig and Tweek shoved their hands over each other’s mouths in hopes that the berry would fall in their own. The girls laughed ridiculously loud, seeing their mom slapping a pale hand over their dad’s lips.

It was a warm feeling in Tweek’s chest. This was his family and soon, there’d be another kid helping him bake a cake. 

Oh shit, _the_ _cake_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was originally planning on making Kenny a mechanic or something but then that episode from season 22 came out and Mackey said Kenny would make a good counselor and I was like “bruh yes” 
> 
> As for Craig’s job, I’m trying to keep it kinda vague bc I have no idea how to write about it. Just know that he’s some kind of business dude 
> 
> I’ll update next week on Sunday  
> That might be the new thing but idk yet


	3. •THREE•

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being and raising

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo 
> 
> It’s here 
> 
> It’s queer 
> 
> Be ready to fear

“So at the very top of the tower, hundreds of feet off the ground, the princess stood across from the king and ready to fight!”

Kenny held out his spatula as if he was about to deuce with the air, knees bent and eyes narrowed. For the sake of an exciting re-enactment, he wore a ridiculous hat that he got from Kyle’s bother’s old Peter Pan costume. Those were the kind of things a person would get from good connections.

Four kids sat on the carpet floor with their eyes glued to Kenny’s act. Two of the girls, Lizzy and Bella, were the Tucker kids. At their house, there was a reunion between Tweek and Craig’s old group of friends happening, so of course there’d be alcohol and swearing that would not be suitable for children. When Tweek ranted about having to drop the kids off at his parent’s house, Leo humbly offered to take the girls in for the night. And so Lizzy and Bella were at the McCormick residence, being vividly entertained by Kenny.

It wasn’t a bad deal, considering Leo’s kid, Katie, had become best friends with Lizzy. The two eccentric girls mixed perfectly in their similar tastes; one of which was watching Kenny’s show intently.

“The king snarled, ‘give me your heart now or I’ll take it myself!’” Kenny said, voicing the king like a creepy old man. The kids gasped. Poor Korey, still at the tender age of 3, hid half his face under the blanket that draped from Leo’s spot.

Leo was watching from the extended recliner, rested under a large blanket. Korey held onto Leo’s leg for reassurance and Leo reached out to rest his hand on the boy’s head.

“‘Never!’ said the princess. ‘I choose who I give my heart to! And I’ll never give it to youjust so you can sell it off!’” Kenny dramatized.

“Yeah!” Lizzy yelled out, angrily clutching the blanket that covered her and Katie. Bella shushed her.

“The King was so angry that she said that, so he lunged at her with his sword!” Kenny acted on what he said, taking a quick step forward and pretended to make a jab with his spatula. “But the princess was too fast. She used her sword to deflect his attack—er, she blocked his attack. And the epic fight began!”

Leo laughed softly while the kids were completely emerged into the story. His mate began dancing around the room with the premise of re-enacting a duel. He narrated his moves as he went, eliciting gasps and shouts from the kids. Even Bella, who usually kept to herself, mumbled mean things about the king.

“She was backed to the rail. Her sword had fallen from her hand and now fell down the tower. The king had his sword to her throat so she couldn’t move. She could hardly _talk_. The king grinned his wicked grin as he neared his face to hers. He aimed his hand to her chest, where her heart was.”

Kenny stared down at the kids, wearing an evil expression and reached out a hook-fingered hand at them, making them lean back. He said, in the old man voice, “‘you should’ve just given it to me. Do you have any last words?’

“She glared at him. She tried saying something but her throat kept scratching the the sword’s blade. This was it. This was the end of her story.”

He went silent for a moment, only reaching his hand closer to the kids. Korey sniffled and rubbed his nose on the blanket.

“Then... she heard something,” Kenny continued, raising a hope in the kids. “It sounded like flapping... like wings... what could she possibly be hearing?”

“The dragon!” Lizzy shouted. Katie gasped loudly.

“Yes!” Kenny grinned. “The dragon! Who rides it?”

“The thief!” Katie answered enthusiastically. The children cheered when Kenny nodded.

Leo loved this story. It was about a princess whose heart was the most precious thing of all the lands and everyone wanted it. She met a thief who intended to steal it but fell in love instead. The thief wanted the princess to give her heart to him freely. However, her father, the evil king, was corrupted by his own greed and plotted to take the heart and sell it.

Kenny made up the story for the kids, but he had a few life experiences to inspire him. 

He finished off the story dramatically, telling them that the thief told the princess to jump to him and she did. Together, they whisked the king with the claws of the dragon and took him back to the kingdom to expose him as the evil ruler he was. The princess and the thief lived happily ever after.

The kids cheered at the end and Kenny took a deep bow. Leo laughed softly, clapping along with the pup beside him.

“Thank you, thank you,” Kenny grinned. “I’d like to give a shoutout to the beautiful omega in the back.”

Leo snorted as the kids looked curiously back at him. Their eyes were always so wide and glistening when they found anything remotely fascinating, which was nearly everything. It was a beautiful aspect of children that would never grow old to Leo.

“That’s mommy!” Katie laughed. She found everything hilarious, not that Leo found any fault in that. Her laugh was full of life and beauty, that it was hard to imagine _ever_  making her cry.

He had known more than many, the miserable feeling of being more of a disgrace than a son; an item than a life. He remembered the lashes, the hits, and the _words_. He remembered his father, filled with danger and resent, looming over his life with a scrutinizing glare and a punch if anything was displeasing. 

He had living in fear all throughout his childhood, finding any reason he could to stay away from home. In school, he had smiled and laughed as much as he could because he knew that he would only end up in tears at home. It was the worst time of his life, and would never wish it on any child.

It was Kenny who saved him. First he was only Leo’s sanity, keeping him grounded when all Leo wanted to do was drown. His flowers and kisses was a relieving contrast to the pinches and kicks he received from his father. Then, Kenny finally rid the father of Leo’s life altogether.

Now, the abusive man was rotting in the only place he deserved to live: prison. After a series of events—which included falling in love, losing a child, almost being sold, and being saved—Leo can now proudly say he was free of his father’s tyranny.

Now, he had a family of his own and he wouldn’t trade it for the world. With a caring mate, he was sure to give his pups all the love they deserved. The world was so much brighter like that.

A long beep sounded from the kitchen, easily grasping the attention from all the kids; Leo and Kenny also followed their fickle gaze. Not long after, Katie grinned.

“It’s ready! I’m so _hungry_!” She rubbed her stomach for the effect. Lizzy’s stomach growled and they all began to laugh.

“Alright, but we have to wait for the nuggets to cool down a bit,” Leo warned, earning a five-person symphony of groans (Kenny had also been tantalized by the sound of food being ready.) “Ken, quit your whining and take out the food.”

“ _Fine_ , but only ‘cos you’re cute,” Kenny said stubbornly before walking into the kitchen. Leo quickly rolled his eyes and turned his attention to the hungry pups before him.

Before he could say anything that would entertain them, little Bella raised her hand as if she was in class. Leo, amused, called on her to speak.

“How—how come your tummy is big?” She asked quietly.

“Bella, you can’t say that!” Lizzy scolded, always catching any moment in in which she can.  “Mommy said that’s rude!” 

“Oh no, it’s fine, honey,” Leo smiled swiftly, raising up his hands gently. “It’s okay to ask questions, girls.

“And, Bella, this here is your cousin, Kaden,” Leo explained, rubbing his hand softly over the expanse of his stomach. “He’s going to be joining us soon, but right now, he’s still sleeping.”

“In your tummy?” Lizzy inquired with a look of disgust obvious on her face, fitting perfectly under her blue chullo hat. It was times like that made it so easy to believe that she truly was Craig’s daughter.

“Yes, in my tummy,” Leo giggled. “He likes it there.”

“He has to get out, though,” Katie interjected. “He’s taking _forever_.”

Of the family, she’d been the most eager for Kaden’s arrival. Leo was just thankful that Korey was too young to realize it was an insult.

“Just be a little more patient, pumpkin,” Kenny said as he entered the room. He deemed ’pumpkin’ as her nickname when he realized her hair was nearly orange, and she had yet to complain about it.

Leo leaned out his cheek with a smile, feeling a soft kiss on it from his husband. Kenny knew about Leo’s love for pecks on the cheek and always kept ‘em coming.

The rest of the night continued. The family, with their two guests, ate their dinner of chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese (brownies for dessert.) They took their baths and brushed their teeth. The kids played their games and talked in their childish ways. And soon, they were drifting off to sleep in Katie’s room, since they all insisted on sleeping together.

Leo and Kenny were in their own room, resting on the bed tiredly. Kenny nuzzled his head in the crook of Leo’s head, sniffing every-so-often. It was usually something he did after coming home from work, since he hadn’t been working beside his mate for a while. But now, it was just because there was no reason not to.

“So close. I can smell it,” Kenny mumbled, slowly rubbing his hand on Leo’s stomach. “I can’t wait to see him.”

“I can’t wait for him to _get_ _out_ ,” Leo sighed. “He’s really killing my back.”

Leo felt the alpha smile against his neck. The air filled with the smell of comfort, just as Leo liked it. He melted into the bed and the air, his happiness everlasting.

His alpha, his sweet alpha, beside him. His children safely in their room, sleeping beside their friends. A roof over his head. Food i his stomach and a child in his womb. It was the simple, domestic life he had always wanted. And he was glad to share it with Kenny.

The silence of the room was interrupted by the vibrating of a phone. Kenny’s chest tumbled with annoyance before he got up to search for the source. Soon after, Kenny held Leo’s phone in hand, rumbling louder when he saw the caller ID.

“I’m gonna’ take a shower,” Kenny mumbled, handing the phone off to Leo. The omega didn’t even need to see to know who was calling.

“Hey’a Mom,” Leo answered in an almost-wary voice, watching Kenny head to the bathroom. 

Kenny didn’t like her; he made that clear. He never wanted to leave the kids with her alone, talked to her only bluntly, and left the room whenever she called.

Leo never blamed him. Not only was she mentally unstable, she also played a key role in Leo’s childhood abuse. She never hurt him physically, but had put too much strain on him to become the perfect omega that would take their family out of the state. She worked him to the bone and never said a word whenever her husband disciplined their son for choosing the wrong fork or skipping a night of flexibility-inducing yoga.

She was not sent to prison, but was ordered to attend intensive therapy. Slowly, she broke out of the shell of denial she built around her and tried to become a decent-enough mother by staying out of Leo’s life. She didn’t go to their wedding or to the hospital when she found out Leo was in labor, but she _did_  visit a week after Katie was born.

She had hardly said a word that day. Leo had sat down beside her on the couch, holding his first-born in his arms so she could see him. Of course Kenny was leaning against the door way, making it obvious with his scent that he didn’t trust her.

Her eyes, which were usually blank and dissociative, had been washed with a bit of life when she looked at Katie. When she held the baby, the smallest smile spread on her heavy lips. Leo always remembered the image; it was beautiful. 

The next time Leo was giving birth, his mother was sitting in the hospital’s waiting room.

“Hi Butters,” her voice greeting from the other end of the phone. “How are you and the kids?”

“We’ve been good. The kids are sleeping now,” Leo said.

“That’s good,” she replied. For a moment, the line was silent. Then, “um, I need to tell you something.”

Leo’s hand fidgeted beside his stomach. He furrowed his brows nervously, expecting bad news from the tone of his mother.

“What is it mom?” He asked tensely. He was glad Kenny was in the shower and wouldn’t be able to smell Leo’s nervousness.

“Well, Butters...” she paused. “Next week...”

“What? What’s happening next week?”

“Butters... your father is being let out of prison.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahaha it’s begun  
> •  
> To the new readers: I mentioned some stuff from the first story but kept it kinda vague. Just know that Leo’s dad was an abusive ass and was sent to prison  
> •  
> Fun fact: I made all the McCormick kid’s names start with K and have 5 letters 
> 
> Why? 
> 
> Kenny  
> Karen  
> Kevin 
> 
> What do they all have in common?  
> •  
> Next chapter on Sunday! 
> 
> I think that’s gonna be the new thing  
> •  
> 


	4. •FOUR•

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Race cars and parks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We’re gonna see the first side-ship this chapter

Stan figured that the hardest part of parenthood was preparing kids to leave the house. Sure, their crapping and crying was beyond annoying, but it was hardly compared to pulling them from whatever they were doing and forcing proper clothes onto their always-squirming figure.

“Nathan, stop—Jesus,” Stan demanded as his son somehow doubled his weight, draping from Stan’s grip. The toddler whined ceaselessly and tried, with all his might, to avoid wearing jeans.

“Nooo,” Nathan cried, kicking at his father. “No no!”

Stan’s frustrating was growing. He released the kid with a grunt and watched the sweats-wearing kid stumble out of the room, his curly locks of orange hair bouncing. The alpha ran a heavy hand down his face before following.

Little Nathan, with his weirdly-long legs, lead his father into the living room where Kyle was dressing the baby. Watching Luther remain docile with only a fist in his mouth as his mama easily slipped on his pants, Stan couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy.

“You got the easy one,” Stan complained before kneeling beside his mate on the floor. Nathan plopped down on the other side of Kyle, his tears quickly drying. Both of the sons had always felt more comfortable around their Mama, which was completely natural since he was an omega. But Stan wanted some of that closure too.

“ _I_  had to change his diaper. We’re even,” Kyle retorted, sending a smug glance at the man overlooking him. It was second-nature of him to find any rebuttal he could; he was a lawyer after all.

As a lawyer, he kept a more professional look. His hair was no longer wild and unkept, but shortand could be styled with gel. When he wasn’t working, he preferred to keep it down and Stan loved to see his lasting curls fall just short of his ears. Kyle’s face was still pale—no matter how much he tried to tan—and was sprinkled with light freckles. His skin was absent of any tattoos or piercings, which insanely contrasted his husband.

Looking at Stan himself, one would never figure he was married to a lawyer. His whole left arm—from his wrist to his neck—was covered in ink. To add to his “edgy” look, his left ear was pierced and usually sported a black stud. A soul patch grew just below his lips, giving him a sort of intimidating look, but he just used the bit of hair to tickle his family. Topping his head was his preferred style of short hair and a cropped fringe. And tying his whole look together was his muscular physique from his days in football that was maintained by consistent trips to the gym.

“Nathan always fights me, though,” Stan sighed, easily resting his chin atop Kyle’s head. Kyle had hardly grown from his short figure in high school.“He likes it better when you dress him.”

“Well duh, I’m great at it,” Kyle said like it was obvious, looping Luther’s arms into a shirt. “But _you_ have to do this.”

“No, Mama,” Nathan whined beside Kyle. “I don’t like those pants.” 

“You have to wear it Nathan,” Kyle ordered in the stern motherly way he could. “If you don’t let Daddy put it on, we’re not going to the park.”

“ _Nooo_ ,” The boy began to cry, kicking out.

“Well then, you better hurry up and get dressed before we leave you here while Luther and Flash play.”

At he mention of his name, a brown boxer jumped down from the couch and wedged his way between Stan and Kyle, wagging his long tail excitedly. Stan took the opportunity to pet the dog while Kyle dealt with the crying toddler.

“ _Noooo_ ,” Nathan sobbed.

“Then, get going!” Kyle looked back at Luther, signaling that it was end of discussion.

“ _Fine_!” Nathan stomped. He stood up and went to his dad who held a pair of pants expectantly.

There was no question that Kyle held the real power in the family. He had all of them wrapped around his little pinkie—his pinkie is actually really small and Stan teases him senselessly about it.

Stan never gave much mind about Kyle’s authority considering he was the one who deserved it. He had to endure pregnancy and labor, and brought home all the money, so it made sense that most of the decisions were his final say. It was the reason they were living under such a nice roof and eating plentiful food. 

Soon, the family of four were packed in the Civic. Nathan has stubbornly avoided all eye contact and looked directly out the window as the car started, his pout obvious. His only leniency such demeanor was angrily—yet softly—petting Flash’s head, which rested on his lap. Beside them was Luther in his baby car seat that locked securely into the car. His black eyes focused intently on the brown hair he managed to capture with his fists.

Stan drove in an appreciated peace. His head bopped to Seven Nation Army, which played on his connected playlist. Kyle hummed to it too as he double-checked the backpack that held all the park supplies. He was always a double-checker.

“I can’t wait until the kids get older and we can force our music on them,” Stan smiled, glancing at his mate, who snickered.

“That’ll be great. I remember loving it when our parents did it to us,” Kyle said nostalgically. And he smiled.

No matter how many times Stan has seen the pearly glint of Kyle’s teeth, he’d never get used to his smile. More-so, he’ll never get used to the feeling—the feeling of being something special enough to see light in a dark world. That sort of smile was always for Stan.

“Yeah,” Stan said with a lack of words.

“Fu— _dge_ , I forgot something,” Kyle said, suddenly. He plopped his back against the chair in frustration.

“What?”

There were a few things to know about Nathan. For one, he was very sentimental of small items. It was an inexplicable feature of his, and Kyle predicted the boy would end up as some sort of hoarder. It made sense, considering the fact that there was a time that he wore a rubber bracelet around his wrist for nearly a month because he was able to get it for free at Kyle’s work.

There was, however, _one_ thing he had never been willing to get rid of. Months ago, his best friend gifted him a tiny race car. The thing had already been old before Nathan received it. A wheel was squeaky and the paint was peeling but Nathan was instantly attached. _So_ much so,that he absolutely refused to go anywhere without it. He never played with it, but always wanted it around him. It was a bridge that neither Kyle nor Stan wanted to cross just yet, so they went along with their kid’s obsession.

“The C-A-R,” Kyle spelled out.

There was something to know about Stan as well.

He’s a dumbass.

“The _car_?”

“You forgot the car!” Screeched a voice from the backseat, just before Kyle slammed his head against the bag.

•••

“Sorry we’re late,” Stan has to say he and the family arrived at the park bench. A grumpy Kyle walked beside him, holding hands with Nathan, who clutched a tiny racer car in his fist.

“Should be sorry,” Eric Cartman scoffed in his large glory. He’d grown into a rather husky man, but was nowhere near as big as his monstrous eating habits had promised. The only thing stood between him and obesity was the omega beside him.

“Stop it, Eric,” Wendy rolled her eyes. Her beauty had clear grown with her, molding into the mature woman before them. Her body had grown a bit thicker with childbirth—a fat that also held Kyle captive.

Squirming impatiently in her lap was a little boy, hardly any younger than Nathan. He was on the chubbier side, looking ridiculously adorable with his messy, black hair.

“Theo was whining when you guys didn’t show up,” Wendy explained, releasing her little Theodore to stumble near Nathan. The two boys quickly fell into their boyish rhythm.

“Something came up,” Kyle grumbled. Stan felt the-love-of-his-life’s eyes burning a hole in the back of his head as he placed down Luther’s carriage on the tabletop.

“Well. We’re all here now,” Wendy smiled easily. Stan could smell the sweet radiance of her early pregnancy.

Eric must’ve caught Stan sniff the air while looking at his wife, so his hand wrapped protectively around her waist. He silently glowered at Stan as the omegas talked of this and that.

Eric was always a bit defensive when Wendy and Stan were within 5 feet of each other, though there was absolutely no reason to be. Sure, the two had their thing in middle and high school, but that felt like decades ago. Stan would never look at her with any romantic or sexual appeal. The idea of it made him rather uncomfortable.

Now he had Kyle. Precious, powerful Kyle.

And Wendy has Eric. Just... Eric. A depressing thought.

“Luther still hasn’t taken his first steps” Kyle told Wendy. “When did Theo first start waking?”

“Around 10 months,” she answered, taking a sip of her water. “He nearly cried.”

“Theo?”

“No. Eric.”

“’ _aye_!”

 

The rest of afternoon was spent in the sweet peace of the park. Nathan and Theo chased themselves exhausted and hungry. They ate their early dinner quietly at the bench, resting their heads on the table. Eric and Stan discussed football and the upcoming season. Kyle and Wendy chatted up a storm per usual. Luther rested tiredly on Kyle’s lap, babbling gibberish while poking his mama’s chin.

As they were nearing the end of their meal and would soon part, Kyle’s phone went off.

“It’s work,” Kyle sighed as he checked the ID. “Babe, take Luther. I’ll go by the bathroom.”

“Alright,” Stan said absently, easily taking the baby. With that, Kyle was off. Wendy soon got up to look at whatever Nathan and Theo made that they wanted to desperately share with her.

When the two men were alone—not counting the baby—Eric leaned in suspiciously. His face squinted in the same disgust he showed in their childhood days.

“How often does he get calls from work?” Eric asked.

Stan shrugged. “A couple a’ times, I guess.”

“Does he always have to get out of earshot to answer them?” Eric followed.

Stan narrowed his eyes slightly, getting an idea of what Eric was egging at. “What are you talking about?”

“Dude, Wendy keeps those gossip magazine in the bathroom and I read an article that if they answer the phone where you can’t hear, they might be cheating, man.”

Stan felt a cold chill down his back. He stared at Eric with a mix of disbelief and disgust. Suddenly, he felt that this wasn’t something to be discussing in front of Luther.

“It’s just... a magazine man, chill,” Stan said defensively.

“It’s just something to look out for,” Eric shrugged, leaning back in his seat. “I mean, this is _Kyle_ we’re talking about.”

Stan glared at him for a moment, the other man’s words leaving a more lingering burn than he’d wish to admit. Wendy soon returned to the beta’s side and they began talking about their own things.

Stan swallowed thickly, looking back wherethe gross bathrooms stood. He could just see Kyle’s hair on the other side of the building. Had his business calls usually taken this long?

“Hey, I’m gonna’, uh, check on Kyle real quick,” Stan said, his eyes still trained on the bathrooms. “Can you watch the boys for a bit?”

“Of course,” Wendy agreed. 

On his walk to the bathrooms, Stan cussed himself for even letting Cartman get in his head. Kyle would never cheat on him. He was above that.

Stan convinced himself that he was just stupid to feel the need to get up and check on Kyle—his loyal mate—taking a call from work. He was a lawyer, for Christ’s sake, it made sense he’d get phone calls. And there were perhaps a few sensitive details that only Kyle could know, so he’d have to answer the phone privately. 

It made sense. It all did.

That is, until Stan was just about to turn the corner and greet his husband—the man he promised to love and to cherish and to be loved and to be cherished in return.

“Of course, of course,” Kyle giggled. “Oh no, I’m not stupid, I won’t tell Stan.”

As Stan dared a peek around the corner and saw just part of Kyle’s face, he realized that _that_ smile wasn’t always for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aha 
> 
> See you next Sunday!


	5. •FIVE•

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Knocks and ringtones.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahaha so my late updates begin 
> 
> To all the new readers, just know that there are times that I update like a day or two late. If I’m gone for more than a week, I would give you a notice. Honestly, if I don’t update for like a month without any warning, you can honestly assume I’m dead

Whenever the group came over for their monthly meet up, there was one rule: no couple shit.

That meant there was none of that “babe” or “honey” name-calling unless it was purely ironic. There should be no acts of kissing or romantically holding each other. Basically, any public display of affection was banned from their night of fun.

They all figured it would be Tweek—the only omega—that would be most wary of the rule, but he was, in fact, the one who enforced it the most.

So of course, when Craig had the _audacity_  to call Tweek—his mate— _babe_ , it was only natural that Tweek threw a wet dishrag at the alpha’s face and screeched out, “BITCH!”

“They’re not even here yet!” Craig yelled back, wiping the dirty water from his face.

The rule was really made to keep Craig from being clingy, which he tended to be when there were other people around. It was also in place because Clyde was usually sexually suggestive with Token. Another reason was because Bebe used to flirt semi-jokingly with Tweek. They were all just an ordeal.

“It’s 8 so game night technically started,” Tweek argued, quickly dodging the wet rag that was thrown back at him. 

“That’s annoying,” Craig muttered. He easily took the bags of chips from the top of the fridge—they kept it there so the kids wouldn’t see—and began pouring it into big bowls. “Where are they anyway? Bebe is usually here earlier.”

“I think she’s bringing someone today,” Tweek said while taking brownies out of the oven. “She told me a couple days ago.”

Craig grunted in acknowledgment. However, Tweek had been with him for *years* as either friends or lovers, and he knew everything about this man. And the way his grunt was a lower pitch and much shorter than usual, Tweek knew it was because Craig was upset.

There was a time in high school, after Tweek arrived as a new student in junior year—he had moved away then moved back to South Park—and before the couple became a couple, Tweek had a sort of _thing_  with Bebe for a bit. It was all just a ploy, but because of the way they had easily played the part, Craig was slightly wary of the idea of them being so close now.

It was no question that Craig leaned on the more possessive side of being an alpha, and it usually never bothered Tweek too much. There was never a thought it his mind that he’d leave Craig for anyone else, but Craig liked to doubt that. So whenever Tweek mentioned his personal contact with Bebe, Craig’s grunts were different. 

“Maybe she’s bringing a date,” Tweek said absentmindedly, but it wasn’t. It was really just a way to get Craig’s mind off things. “Maybe she finally wants to settle.”

“She didn’t tell you who it was?” Craig asked.

“Nah. She wants to keep it a surprise.” Tweek started pulling out the alcohol from the top cupboard with the help of a stool. 

“She’s so dramatic,” Craig scoffed.

“At least she’s the fun dramatic. You’re angsty dramatic.”

“What? No, I’m not. Stan is.”

“He’s goth-y dramatic. You’re angsty.”

“How?”

“You just are.”

Craig opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted with a knock on the door. As he went to open it, he shouted back at Tweek, “that’s not a reason. Give me a real one.”

Tweek rolled his eyes and stepped down the stool with 3 bottles in hand, one of which was vodka. If there wasn’t a growing human in his stomach, he would be chugging it tonight.

From the kitchen, he heard three distinct greetings. One was a simple ‘hello’; Token. The other was a stuttered ‘hey’; Jimmy. The last one was a loud shout, asking where the brownies were; Nobody else but Clyde.

Soon enough, Tweek saw a grown man run into the kitchen hungrily wearing searching eyes like a vulture’s. With his chunky build and wavy, brown hair that fell just pat his ears, Clyde was there, ready to devour the brownies he could only eat twice a month.

His eyes locked on the tray that Tweek had just pulled out, and reached out a desperate hand. But it was the baker himself who slapped the hand away.

“It’s still hot,” Tweek hissed. “You’re just like Lizzy.”

“I need my dose, man!” Clyde begged. “I’ve been thinking about them for the past week!”

“He wouldn’t shut up about it either,” said a new voice entering the kitchen. The only person taller than Craig, Token, walked in with a sigh. Per usual, his hair was cut short and professional, perfectly fitting his career as a meteorologist and completely contrasting Clyde, who worked at a local deli.

Jimmy snickered behind Token, stalking in with his crutches. His hair hasn’t changed much from their days in school. It still fell down half his forehead and drooped below his ears. His appearance never mattered much with work, seeing as he lived off doing comedy shows. He was locally renowned and often did shows up in Denver that gave him enough money to last him a while.

“Sh-shoulda’ seen him in the car. It’s as if—if you put c-c-crack in it,” Jimmy joked, naturally, catching a few chuckles from the group.

“Don’t expose me man,” Tweek grinned, also earning a few laughs.

Tweek loved game nights. It was those two times a month when they all got together and caught each other up with their lives and could feel young and wild again. He was always proud to say he was still close friends with the people he grew up with since elementary. 

Hell, he just loved South Park. Being the small and relatively quiet town it was, it was easy to be part of the community and know everyone personally. Tweek could walk down to the store right now and be able to wave a little hi to nearly everyone he saw. This was exactly the place he wanted his kids to grow up in.

“Wait, where’s Bebe?” Token asked, always being the most intuitive of the bunch. 

“She’s tardy,” Tweek answered. “She’s bringing someone new.”

“Ooh, that’s fun,” Jimmy smiled, making Craig frown.

Tweek had all of them help bring things into the dining room, where they would be holding game night, making sure Clyde wasn’t in charge of the brownies. Soon they were sitting at the table and talking, awaiting Bebe and the mystery guest. 

“How’s the job hunting?” Token asked Craig at some point.

Lately, there had been word of major downsizing in Craig’s work. All of the employee have been antsy and nervous, dreading their boss calling them into their office. Seeing as Craig was not confident in having his career secured in the business, he decided to start looking into other jobs. Chances of being laid off was really an opportunity for Craig anyway. All the years he worked there, he had hated it. He always came home with complaints that his life was being wasted in that cubicle.

“I’ve had a couple of interviews and now I’m just waiting for a response,” Craig shrugged. 

“F-from where?” Jimmy inquired.

“Those places bordering Fort Collins, and like one place by Denver.”

“ _Denver_?” Clyde raised his eyebrows. “That’s like two hours away!”

“I just thought to give it a bullshit try. It’s some company that deals with parts for spacecrafts and shit. I don’t think I’ll get it though, so it’s fine.”

Tweek was silent. He knew that Craig’s interview for that place was not some bullshit attempt. That day, he had stressed over his appearance more than he had for any other interview and worked on what he would say in the mirror in “secret.” Space had always been Craig’s interest, and a career in dealing at _all_ with its exploration would really light a fire beneath him. 

The problem of course, was that it was so far. Tweek would be incredibly happy for his mate, but it was hard to ignore the queasy feeling in the pit of his stomach when he imagined what accommodations they’d have to create if Craig got the job.

The topic was interrupted by a knock on the door. Tweek instantly perked up.

“It’s Bebe,” he chirped, easily taking initiative of answering the door.

Opening it, revealed an alpha woman. There was no doubt that she was conventionally beautiful with her curly blonde hair, red lips, and curves. She was definitely easy on the eyes and the nose—her scent was always pleasant. With her bright hair and wide grin, it was easy for her guest to pale in comparison.

It was someone Tweek remembered from school—someone he never really talked to. Though, passing him in the halls, he knew the man had dark skin and darker hair. Now, in front of him, the man was tall; he was almost as tall at Craig. His nose crooked and his smile awkward, the man that Tweek remembered as Davíd waved.

“Oh hey,” Tweek tilted his head. “I remember you. Davíd, right?”

“Beautiful and smart,” Bebe sighed before holding out a box of beer. “Davíd here is the second guest of honor today.”

“Who’s the first?” Tweek asked, taking the offered box.

“Well, me, duh.”

Confident as ever, Bebe walked into the house with Davíd tailing. He stopped just in front of Tweek and clapped the omega on the shoulder.

“Hey man, thanks for having me,” Davíd said cheerfully.

“Oh it’s no problem!” Tweek smiled politely. “So are you and Bebe like...”

“No no; nothing like that,” Davíd quickly waved him off. “We’re just friends. We actually just caught up again recently.” 

“Oh ok, well come on in, then,” Tweek gestured the direction Bebe went. 

After closing the door, Tweek arrived in the dining room to see Davíd and the others greet each other. Mentions of remembrance dominated the conversation really.

“Finally you’re here,” Clyde scoffed at Bebe. “We couldn’t do anything until you came!”

“Bitch how do you think I feel when _you’re_ always late?” Bebe retorted quickly.

Tweek took his seat besides Craig, both staring longingly at their friends picking out their alcoholic drinks. Ever since Tweek’s first pregnancy, they made a rule that neither could drink when one couldn’t. Tweek wanted him to suffer as much as he did because Craig couldn’t keep his dick in his pants.

For nearly an hour, they all just talked and joked. Clyde ranted about customers doing this and that and complaining about the smallest things, making Token laugh too hard to try and calm his boyfriend down. Jimmy shared his newer material for feedback, which turned out wonderfully. Bebe shared her adventurous stories about odd flings. Even Davíd was urged to tell his tale of being an adult, which was of being a single (ready to mingle) soccer coach. Tweek didn’t hold back on his complaints of being pregnant for the third time, which made everyone around the table thankful for not having any kids.

Eventually, they actually pulled out the board games, which was the whole premise of the night. With beers in nearly everyone’s hands and a brownie in the other and a game piece in their control, the room was filled again with a sort of youthfulness.

Seeing the smiles and hearing the laughs, Tweek drowned in the nostalgia that cushioned around him. Maybe it was Jimmy’s jokes, or Clyde’s yells, or Token’s sighs, or Bebe’s winks, or Craig’s frustrated groans, but it made Tweek feel almost like a kid again.

The hours rolled by and the stack of played games grew. It was just about 1 AM when they decided to call it a night. Of course it was Token and Davíd who were their designated drivers, and were the only ones who could give a proper goodbye.

The couple decided the mess was something to deal with in the morning, so they collapsed in bed. Now that the excitement of the night drained from them, they felt the heavy exhaustion. 

Tweek lay on his back, his hand topping the cheek of Craig, who was luckily able to lay on his stomach. 

“That was fun,” Tweek muttered in the quiet room. 

“It was,” Craig murmured in response, giving a weak attempt at kissing Tweek’s hand.

“I want to sleep, though.”

“Then do it.”

“I will.”

He did.

•••

The next morning was hazy. They were both awaken by the sound of Craig’s phone ringing at 9 AM.

Tweek nuzzled his head against Craig’s bicep, which he’d woken up next to. The alpha groaned lowly before reaching out a hand to the phone.

“Hello?” He answered tiredly. Tweek yawned.

Suddenly, Craig jolted up, bouncing Tweek up as well.

“Yes, this is Craig Tucker,” he said much more alertly. Tweek stared up at him curiously.

“Really?” Craig said, almost casually, but a wide grin was growing on his face, making Tweek smile a bit too. “That’s—that’s amazing, thank you!—uh-huh yes, of course... thank you so much, ma’am, I’ll come in first thing Tuesday. Have a nice day.”

“What was that?” Tweek asked excitedly when Craig hung up.

“I got a job, honey, I got a job!”

“That’s great!” Tweek lunged a hug around Craig’s shoulders. He parted quickly, his hands still wrapped, and asked, still grinning, “where?”

That’s when Craig’s smile dampened slowly.

“It’s...,” he started. “It’s the place in Denver.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don’t you all just love my cliff hangers?? 
> 
> See you Sunday!


	6. •SIX•

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Secretaries and bombs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m not dead but I might as well be
> 
> Dude I’m extremely tired  
> I have been tired for the past week  
> I’ve been incredibly busy  
> It’s late but it’s here  
> It’s not edited but it’s here  
> My eyes are burning and my fingers are freezing but it’s here  
> To me, it’s kinda shitty but fuck it, it’s here

“I _really_ don’t think this is a good idea,” Kenny nervously voiced again, straightening his tie in the mirror. 

“I hate being cooped up in the house all the time,” Leo repeated his reasoning for the third time as he tied up Katie’s hair. “I’m starting to get restless.”

Kenny, again, made an uncertain noise. There was no wonder as to why he was so wary; he’s an alpha. Any alpha _would_  be wary if their pregnant omega decides to visit work so close to labor. 

“I thought Kaden was too heavy to take to work,” Katie pondered while combing Korey’s blonde hair, which Leo would have to redo because she was just pushing it side to side.

“While you guys are at school, I’ve been working out and I’m strong enough now,” Leo fibbed. Katie nodded as if she understood.

The truth was that Leo was starting to feel anxious about the call he got on Saturday night. Even with his family home and around him all of Sunday, he couldn’t shake the sudden strain in his chest just thinking of his father soon roaming the free world again.

He had yet to tell Kenny, who stood blissfully in front of the mirror with only the worry of Leo’s nearing due date. He didn’t exactly know how to bring it up and was not looking forward to his mate’s reaction. Kenny was prone to anger whenever Leo’s parents were involved. If he was always so wary of just Leo’s mother, there was no telling what he’d do if he found out Stephan Stotch has been released from prison.

Though, he promised himself that he would tell Kenny before his father’s release. Perhaps the next day he would; this day he just wanted to catch a breath of fresh air and see his coworkers again.

The family quickly prepared themselves for the day. Katie had her hair tied up in the preferred style of pig-tails and wore the boring beige uniform dress for first grade. Korey wore his adorable small pants and t-shirt of dinosaurs, ready to face daycare.

Kenny dressed in his usual button-up shirt with a tie, matching his khakis. If it wasn’t for the hardly-shown tattoo and earrings, he’d look like a proper middle-school counselor. His whole look set a fire of giddy glances and whispers among students whose taste went a little older. Leo felt a bit sloppy wearing his maternity shirt, sweats, and fluffy boots.

First they stopped at the elementary to drop off Katie, who happily received a kiss on the forehead that she hadn’t been able to get recently due to Leo’s maternal absence. Then it was Korey who was released into daycare’s clutches, which he allowed to happen silently.

Finally, they reached the junior high, where they parked. Leo looked out the window and sighed happily as he saw students walk into campus dreadfully.

“Are you sure you’re able to do this?” Kenny asked again.

“Jeez, yes, Ken,” Leo laughed under his breath. “I’ll be fine.”

“If you feel pain or discomfort or anything, I will not hesitate to get you out of here,” Kenny warned. He raised his eyebrows the same way he did when he was reprimanded the kids.

Leo quickly stole a kiss from Kenny’s lips. He leaned back and smiled reassuringly up at his alpha, though the latter only tightened his lips.

“Stop it. You’re worrying way too much,” Leo tilted his head.

“Okay fine,” Kenny surrendered uncertainly. “Only cos’ you’re cute.”

While the two walked towards the front office, Kenny securing Leo around the waste and glancing down at the baby bump more times than necessary. He was always protective of the pups, which made sense considering past events.

They were just about to make it before they were stopped by two eighth grade girls that Leo recognized easily.

“Mr. M! You’re here!” One of them said excitedly; Leslie was her name. Beside her was her best friend June. Both men instinctively turned their way, one of whom smiled instantly.

“Hello, girls!” Leo waved. “I haven’t seen you in a while. How’ve you been?”

“We’re great,” June said quickly and pulled her attention to the bump. “How are _you_? When is it due? Is it a boy or girl?”

“Well, _he’s_  due in a few weeks.”

“Awww! What’s his name? Have you picked one yet?”

“Korey. Baby Korey.”

“That’s so cute! It’s like that one show my mom watches. I forgot what it’s called. The one about the boy and something about the world, I think.”

Kenny easily interrupted once things went off track. “Sorry, girls, but we’ve gotta’ get him inside now. It’s chilly out.”

“Oh, yeah, okay,” Leslie nodded, blushing slightly at the smile Kenny shot her with.

Kenny quickly pulled Leo inside once the girls were on their way. They were both blasted instantly with the heater, melting Leo into the room. The secretaries at their desks looked up and smiled at the couple.

While Kenny hung up his and Leo’s coats, all the workers surrounded the pregnant omega of the room. Leo was soon crowded with curious friends who were just as interested at the two girls he’d just talked to.

He was bombarded with questions about the due date, names, gender, and all that. It was definitely no surprise that this would happen, but Leo couldn’t complain. 

It was nice to see different faces and answer questions that were beyond ones about where certain toys or car keys were. And Leo definitely didn’t mind being pampered with snacks. Overall, it was a great way to push thoughts about his parents away for just a few moments.

Kenny was in his office mostly, doing his job. The end of first semester was nearing, meaning it was the counselor lunch rush of the year. All the students were rushing to change their schedules and stress out about classes with their counselor.

He kept his door open, able to peek out at Leo and ready to jump to action if was ever called for. Leo found it a bit over-the-top since there was nothing to worry about. The baby wasn’t due for weeks. 

One middle-aged woman, Margaret, who’s had a few children of her own, asked about something Leo was hoping to avoid. 

“How do your parents feel about the baby in the oven? Aren’t they excited?”

Leo could _hear_  the short pause in Kenny’s typing. He smiled awkwardly, instinctively rubbing his fists together as he decided what to say.

“My mom is,” he said. “Don’t really know about my dad.”

“What? Why wouldn’t he be happy?” Another secretary asked. 

“Oh, uh, you know,” Leo shrugged. “I think he doesn’t think that I...think—wait, I just confused myself... aha.”

Leo laughed in discomfort. The stares boring into his skin began to burn. His chest started churning in anxiety. 

“Well-“

“Leo,” Kenny called from his office doorway. He leaned against the frame with a leisure smile. Even in the most stress-inducing time of the year for a school counselor, Kenny could look as relaxed as student in college on their summer break. “You need to drink water now. It’s been a while, love.” 

“Oh, okay,” Leo nodded enthusiastically, happy for any excuse to leave the conversation.

“I brought the flavored water you like. Just come into the office with me; I’m feeling touch-starved,” Kenny spoke easily. It was a skill of his and had gotten him out of a lot of trouble in their youth. Nice to see it still works now.

Two of the single betas in the room sighed either dreamily or sadly. Margaret smiled endearingly, as if she was happy to see young love again. There was no problem for Leo to slip out of their hold and away from the topic for the rest of the day.

•••

Kenny had chosen to leave early that day. He’d reserved that early release a week in advance after Leo had said he wanted to visit the office. At the time, Leo thought it was ridiculously unnecessary to leave so soon, but now he was more grateful than ever.

The car was silent for a while. Leo watched the building pass through the window and the rain that pattered down. Kenny focused on driving in a fixed state.

“Are you okay?” Kenny asked finally as they turned into their street.

Leo nodded glumly before verbally answered. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m good.”

When they parked, neither made a move to exit just yet. Kenny still stared forward and Leo watched the raindrops slide down.

“They shouldn’t have mentioned them,” Kenny said, gripping the wheel a bit tighter. Leo knew he was referring to their coworkers and his parents.

“It’s fine. It’s not like they know anyways,” Leo shrugged.

“I know but...” Kenny bit out, “they should’ve known you were uncomfortable. Like how hard is it to tell, I mean, I was starting to smell it too. How can they have been so senseless—“

“Kenny,” Leo said calmly, placing a small hand on the alpha’s arm. A sweet smell filled the car, making Kenny breath slowly. “It’s fine. I’m alright. Korey is alright. It’s all good.”

“Okay, okay.” Kenny lifted Leo’s hand and pressed the palm to his lips. He closed his eyes, savoring Leo’s warmth on him.

Leo almost felt guilty about was he was about to say. But he knew it would be much worse if he waited.

“Ken, I need to tell you something... important.”

Kenny released Leo’s hand and stared down at the omega, instant concern in his eyes. “What is it?”

“I need you to stay calm, though.”

“Okay, okay—you’re scaring me. What’s wrong? Is it Korey?” 

“No... nothing about the kids really.” 

Leo paused for a moment, transfixing his gaze on anything but his mate. He took a few breaths of his own.

“You know how, uh, my mom called the other night?” Leo asked, feeling Kenny’s nod. “Okay, um, she called because... because...”

“What? Leo you have to tell me.”

A deep breath.

“Next week, my—my father is going to be...”

A deeper breath and a quieter voice. 

“...released.”

 

When Kenny didn’t say anything, Leo dared to look up. He sort of wish he didn’t.

There was no secret of the anger and remorse this man held. His forehead creased with the furrowing of his brows. His flickering eyes showed the red in his soul. And his mouth, tight-lipped and frowning, did not hide the obvious gritting of his teeth.

“He... is,” Kenny managed the words, thought it dropped with toxic.

With the barest movement of the head, Leo nodded.

First, Kenny inhaled slowly, turning his body forward until he was directly facing the wheel again. With how tense his figure was, it was like watching a bomb tick.

And, of course, bombs explode.

His fist landed, over and over, on the steering wheel with rapid speed and a heavy force. All the while he screamed out “ _fuck_ , _fuck_ , _fuck_ ” again and again.

Leo flinched horribly and pushed himself as far as he could away from Kenny’s reaction. His breathing labored as he watched his gentle beloved attempt to wreck a piece of the car.

He’d seen the passive aggressive glared and comments Kenny aimed at his mom, but it never something this violent. He swallowed thickly as the smell of aggression began to fill the car.

It was almost a minute of slamming his fist before Kenny finally rested his forehead on the wheel in defeat, body shaking with how heavy he was breathing. Leo used to heel of his hand to wipe his eye. He tried his hardest not to sniff. It was quiet again but Leo’s heartbeat was still loud.

“I’m sorry,” Kenny mumbled from his spot. 

Leo wiped his eye again. “It’s—it’s—it’s fine.”

“No it’s not,” Kenny breathed. “I shouldn’t have acted that way. I know I scared you. I’m sorry.”

“Okay,” Leo exhaled, rubbing his eye one last time. “W-we should go inside now.”

“Okay,” Kenny leaned back again, side-eyeing Leo regretfully. “Let’s go then.”

•••

The kids were asleep and Leo was in bed alone.

Kenny had said he’d be at the gym for a while, and Leo let him go without a question. His father and Kenny were always on the wrong foot.

He stared up solemnly, remembering Kenny’s reaction again.

The part that scared Leo the most was that he hadn’t even told the whole news yet.

•••

“Butters... your father is being let out of prison.”

“What? Mom, a-are you serious? Oh gosh, mom, is he really?”

“Yes, Butters. On Thursday.”

“I can’t... no, he can’t be. I thought—what am I—oh _gosh_.”

“I know. But I’ve been talking to him recently. He says he’s been changing.”

“What?” 

“Your father said he’s changed. He wants to meet up with you and apologize.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m probably gonna edit tomorrow or something idk  
> See you Sunday maybe  
> Maybe not  
> We’ll see


	7. •SEVEN•

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Paradoxes and gossip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Proof-reading and being on time are for suckers

__There was a paradox of feelings Stan had when he found out Kyle had gotten a huge promotion at work.

For one, he was incredibly happy. There was no describing how it felt when Kyle barged into the house with the widest smile known to man and hopped excitedly into Stan’s unsuspecting arms.

However, Stan was also a bit dreadful. Thanks to Kyle promoting into a whole new league of being a lawyer, which was supposedly difficult to achieve (especially by someone Kyle’s age), there was an office party organized in his honor. And after fondly remembering all the insane events Stan had attended in his youth, he wasn’t feeling so excited for the glorified, mature get-together with many much-older adults.

At least there would be booze and a lack of children.

Kyle spent more time trying to gussy-up Stan more than he did for himself. Stan was forced into a pair of uncomfortable slacks and a long-sleeved dress shirt that covered the majority of his tattoos. And it was absolutely forbidden that Stan wear his anti-cross earring—any earring for that matter.

As Stan stared in the bathroom mirror, seeing himself sitting in a low stool and Kyle delicately style Stan’s hair, he couldn’t help but feel nostalgic to days when his mom would do the same to him for 5th-grade picture day. 

“How much longer? My back is starting to hurt,” Stan complained, stretching out his back for the dramatics.

“You’re whole job is literally you having to bend over people, so don’t tell me shit about your back hurting,” Kyle spat back.

“That’s what she said.”

“Stan, do _not_  tell any of those kind of jokes at the party, okay?” Kyle commanded, as he combed gently. “It was a good one, though.”

“Sheesh, it’s like you’re ashamed of me,” Stan frowned in boredom

“You know I’m not,” Kyle sighed. “This is just a really big deal for me. This is the first time they’re going to meet you. And I don’t want to have to walk around the office and have people remind me about my husband getting shit-faced and grinding on the buffet table.”

“That was a very specific example.”

“That’s because I could sense your bullshit from a mile away.” 

Stan puffed out his cheeks in silence. This was not the first time he was left with nothing else to argue, and it would definitely not the last. Kyle had too much of a sharp tongue—metaphorically _and_  literally~

“You’re thinking something perverted right now,” Kyle shot Stan a knowing look in the mirror with his hands on his hips—his curvy hips~

“You make it easy, hot stuff,” Stan smirked.

“Keep it up, and you’ll make it easy for me to get a divorce,” Kyle smiled, pecking a kiss on his alpha’s cheek before he left the bathroom.

Stan watched after him, knowing it was a joke. Yet, it hit dangerously close to a rapidly growing insecurity of his. What if Kyle is cheating on him?

After the phone call at the park, Stan couldn’t shake the image of Kyle being with another person. He imagined Kyle and a secret lover talking in the middle of the night or Kyle sneaking off to have a rendezvous in some hotel.

Kyle was an attractive, smart, successful lawyer, definitely catching many people’s attention. He could have impossible high standards and it would be considered rational due to his utter amazingness. Any omega of his position would see Stan as some deadbeat who can’t even compare to all the other more attractive, smarter, more successful alphas. It made sense. What didn’t make sense was Kyle being with someone as low as Stan.

There was a time, when he was young and even more stupid, that Stan would have gone berserk by now and would have used his alpha possessiveness to either demand who it was who Kyle dared to cheat on him with or lock Kyle away from the world. That was also the time that Kyle had loathed Stan and Stan wouldn’t even dream of reverting back to those reckless instincts. He had way too much respect for Kyle to do anything of the sort; plus, it would only drive away the omega more.

So Stan wanted to handle this in the most mature way he could: not say anything. He made a pledge to himself that he would not do _anything_ until he was one hundred percent sure that Kyle truly was having alternate relations. Even then, he would not do anything too drastic, in all hopes that Stan’s suspicions amount to nothing.

“Babe, let’s go!” Kyle called hurriedly, snapping Stan out of his daze. “Get your shoes on; we still have to drop off the kids!”

Stan couldn’t bare the thought of his whole life— _ruined_ —just because he wasn’t good enough. 

“Coming!”

•••

It came as no surprise that the renowned and expensive law firm that Kyle was promoted in would rent a room from a very fancy hotel nearly an hour away from the actual building where they work.

The ceiling glittered way above their heads and draped with long, golden fabrics along the walls and to the grounds. Setups of tall chairs with taller tables were placed specifically to allow people sift through the placement easily. In a corner of the room, there was an arrangement of lounge chairs in front of a lit fireplace. And what grasped Stan’s attention the most was the tall shelf of differing bottles of alcohol, half of which he’s never even heard of.

“Woah,” Stan gawked before blowing a low whistle.

“I know, right,” Kyle mumbled beside him, possibly just as in-awe as he was. Stan knew that Kyle was grateful he dressed the both of them in such nice attire.

As they slowly walked deeper into the room, a man who was sitting at the most crowded table looked up and smiled, quickly getting up and walking toward the couple. Definitely a wealthy man, he wore a perfectly-tailored, silver suit with orange accents that complimented his swept-back hair. He walked with a confident elegance and had a smile that was most similar to Bebe’s—in that, it was enticing. As he came nearer, Stan figured him to be in his mid-thirties, which was fairly young for the sense of success he eluded.

“That’s my boss, Mr. Yardale,” Kyle whispered, smiling brightly at the approaching man. “Be on your _best_  behavior.” 

Stan nodded slightly and smiled too, albeit a bit tensely when he noticed Yardale was certainly on the attractive side and had the proud scent of a groomed alpha.

“Good evening, Kyle,”Yardale greeted. His voice was low and sultry, dripping with a soothing British accent that had been dampened by possibly-many years he had lived in the United States. The most capturing part of his speech was that he was on first-name basis. “I am so glad you could make it to your night of honor.”

Yardale held out a black-glove-covered hand, within which Kyle placed his. And, in a frustrating turn of events, Yardale landed his other hand atop Kyle’s, shaking it much too intimately.

“Oh no, it’s a real pleasure,” Kyle said politely. “Thank you, Mr. Yardale.”

“I’ve already told you; Gregory would suffice. If we’re going to be working closer together, it would only be more efficient to avoid such formalities.”

Stan stared at their adjoined hands, a familiar feeling rumbling in his chest. He felt too close to snapping with just the intimacy of their handshake that seemed beyond a employee-employer relationship.

“Oh, and this must be Mr. Marsh,”Yardale smiled gently at Stan. The man stood a bit taller when he released Kyle’s hand, standing an inch above Stan. “I’ve heard a bit of you. I believe you are a tattoo artist?”

“I am,” Stan said gruffly, shaking Yardale’s offered hand. The glove on the other’s hand was made of nice leather. “Wear gloves often?”

“ _Stan,_ ” Kyle said warningly but Yardale just chuckled.

“It’s fine. Yes, I do wear gloves often. I’m fond of cleanliness, you see.” Yardale smiled his gentle smile. “I would assume people of your career wear gloves as well?”

“Well, yeah, but not as often,” Stan said defensively.

“Stan, stop,” Kyle demanded, gripping Stan’s arm. “Just... just go get a drink or something.”

“It’s complimentary,” Yardale added, showing the smile that Stan was not in the mood to see again. “Kyle, how about you join us at the table?”

“Of course, I’ll be right there,” Kyle agreed with his own smile, still digging his nails in Stan’s arm. “I’ll just talk to my husband for a second.”

Yardale nodded before leaving. As Stan watched him go, he felt another paradox of feelings. He felt happy to see Yardale finally leave Kyle’s side. Yet, he sort of wished he stayed; he was the only one keeping Kyle from exploding on him.

“Stan, what the _fuck_ is your problem, today?” Kyle hissed as soon as his boss was out of earshot. “You’re being so fucking immature! That’s my fucking boss and you try to pick some fight with him?!”

“He’s trying to get at you,” Stan argued back, furrowing his brows deeply. His cheeks flushed with frustration. “I can’t just stand here while he tries to fucking seduce you!”

“Seduce me?!” Kyle repeated as if the accusation was the dumbest thing to be made. “Are you out of your mind? He is my— _boss_. You know what—you know what? _Not_ _here_. We’ll talk about this later. But you better get your shit together for the rest of the night.”

With that and an angry _hmph_ , Kyle stormed off in the direction of Yardale and his table. Stan stood alone near the entrance, watching his mate walk away to another alpha. His fists clenched at his side for only a moment before he released them. If he kept chasing Kyle like this, he would only chase Kyle away. He really did need a drink.

He sat on a stool that no other stool he ever sat on could compare; it didn’t even creak. Not many people lingered there—only two other loners and a group of three women near him. The bartender, in his tux, walked up to Stan purposely.

“What would you like?” He asked in the snotty way Stan would have imagined him to.

“Uh, the best stuff you can give me for free,” Stan said with an obvious lack of zest. Nonetheless, the bartender nodded and began on his drink.

Stan looked around the room again but his eyes landed on Kyle’s table. There were probably half a dozen there and most were probably alpha and all were probably wealthy. Kyle stood out among them with his red hair and suit that was definitely at least twice as less expensive as those of the others. Oh, and how he smiled.

“Ugh, wish you could be there too, huh?” Sneered one of the women beside him. When Stan looked over, he saw the whole group glowering at the table. The one who spoke had big, curly hair, framing her dark face. “Join the party.”

“What do you mean?” Stan asked.

“That table is full of the big leagues, hon,” the woman explained. “They’re the ones whole hold up our firm. You get in with them, you’re set for life. Problem is: it’s hard as fuck to get in there. I know I’ve been working my ass off, and look at me. I’m sitting at the bar.”

“I’ve been taking all the gritty cases I could, and I can’t even come close to them,” another woman commented. She had a blonde bob-cut. “I almost began to think you’d have to be an alpha to join. It’s not rare for sexism to be in the workforce.”

“Yeah, until that red-head joined,” scoffed the final woman, sporting long brown hair.

Stan looked at Kyle again with a whole new perspective. Stan knew it would be difficult to get to where Kyle sat now, but he didn’t think it’d be so competitive. Just knowing how hard it was to achieve as much Kyle did made Stan want to apologize as soon as possible.

While Stan was staring at Kyle, he almost didn’t hear what the women said next.

“I bet his knees hurt from how much he kneels in front of Mr. Yardale.”

Stan instantly looked back at them. “What—what are you talking about?”

The woman with a bob-cut was the first to actually look at him. The way she looked at him was most similar to when Kyle whenever he suspected that Stan ate some food that he wasn’t supposed to.

“I don’t remember seeing you around,” she pondered. “Are you new?”

It would have been easy to just say that he was the husband of the so-called kneeler and just defend Kyle—and in any other scenario, Stan probably would’ve done just that. However, with the idea of Kyle cheating on him planted in his brain, this new information that the women were about to spill was too tantalizing.

“Yeah, but I’m a blue collar worker,” Stan lied. “Someone invited me because I was new and all, but I don’t see him around. So what about Ky- the red-head? I like a little gossip.”

“What is there _not_  to know about him?” The brunette scoffed, easily falling for Stan’s fib despite the other women looking a bit unconvinced. “His name is Kyle Marsh-Something. See that hot blonde guy? He’s like the big boss around here; his name is Mr. Yardale. And I’m his secretary—Sandy, by the way, nice to meet you—and he’s _always_  calling in Kyle.”

“Always?” Stan’s voice rasped. He cleared his throat.

“Always,” the woman with big, black hair confirmed. “Name’s Donna. And I used to work next to _Kyle_ before he was promoted. At _least_  twice a week, he gets called up to Mr. Yardale’s office. Mind you, he’s the _only_  omega in my division. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that he’s the only omega and gets called up to Yardale’s office and then promotes into the big leagues.”

“Honestly,” the bob-cut lady said. “I’ve been working here for nearly two decades and this kid’s been here for—what? 6-7 years? It doesn’t make any sense.”

Stan swallowed thickly. He didn’t know what to say.

“And fuck, with _Mr_. _Yardale_  too,” Donna sighed in frustration. “Not only is getting a God-given promotion, but he also gets a piece of Yardale? It’s all just unfair.”

“I would bang Yardale free of charge,” Sandy added. “Imagine that accent whispering in your ear as he takes you? Damn, Kyle probably gets that all the time, little fuck.”

Stan’s uncomfortable cough was left unheard.

“I don’t know how much I blame him for agreeing to be Yardale’s plaything,” the bob-cut lady mumbled. “I heard his alpha is some freeloader. He does something stupid like work at a liquor store or something.”

“No, he’s a tattoo artist,” Sandy laughed.

“Oh yeah, _much_  better,” Donna said sarcastically, taking a drink. “Guess Kyle’s not all that lucky.”

Stan slowly sunk into his seat, the women’s laugh melting into his shame. Kyle’s parents never approved of Stan’s career choice but Kyle had always defended him. Was Stan’s deadbeat job really enough to push Kyle into another man’s arms? Was Stan just that inferior?

“Your drink, sir,” the bartender said, placing the glass beside Stan.

Stan took a long sip, ignoring the burn in his throat, as he stared sadly at Kyle. And Kyle smiled his beautiful smile, but never at Stan that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Btw, this story is going to be shorter than my other one so it’s not going to be as slow. We’re cutting to chase in this one.
> 
> See you Sunday!


	8. •EIGHT•

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Breakfast and Denver.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hahaaaaa this is soo late.  
> The reason is mix of reasons: my phone being stolen, junior stress, and some personal reasons.  
> I am sorry, but here it is:

"When is daddy coming home?"

For the past two weeks, Tweek had to answer that question when putting Lizzy to bed. She always looked up at him, with her tired green eyes, using all the strength she could gather just to keep them open. And every time, Tweek would stay silent for a moment to swallow the bobbing lump in his throat. Then he would look down at her as he tucks her in, smile sadly, and tell her the same thing.

"You'll see him in the morning."

It hurt him every time to say that. Not only because of the aching in his chest caused from his lingering separation from his mate, but also the look of disappointment on his daughter's face. She would frown slightly and look down at her toes from her spot on the bed and whisper the most quiet, "oh."

Tonight was different, however. Instead of the little "oh" that Tweek had become devastatingly accustomed to, she looked up at him with a look of sadness.

"Tonight was family night," she said. Her lip began to quiver. "He's 'posed to be here for dinner."

"Oh Lizzy," Tweek cooed quickly, whisking his child into his arms as she began crying. "Baby, baby, I know."

Tweek rocked her slowly. Warm tears fell on his arm and he had to restrain himself from crying as well. Lizzy had always refused to cry, even when she fell off her bike and nearly sprained her wrist. And even now, she refused to make any noise as Tweek ran his fingers through her hair.

He glanced at the night stand and reached for the blue chullo hat that stood there, where Lizzy always placed it when she was about to sleep. He slid it over Lizzy's head.

"You know, this was Daddy's favorite thing?" Tweek muttered, still caressing Lizzy.

"Yeah," she answered thickly. "He—he never took it off."

"That's right. He even wanted to wear it at our wedding."

Lizzy laughed quietly. "Did you let him?"

"Oh God no," Tweek shook his head, making Lizzy laugh a bit more. "He was so grumpy about it."

He stopped swaying and moved Lizzy's face in his view. His hands placed on both sides of her red face, thumbs wiping her tears. She sniffed and looked back at her mom's smile.

"When Daddy first saw you, you know what he did?" Tweek asked.

"What?"

"He gave you his hat. His _favorite_  hat. Do you know why?"

She smiled. "Why?"

"Because he loves you way more than the hat," Tweek smiled wider. "He wanted you to have something that would always remind you of him. He wanted you to always remember how much he loves you—no matter what."

She instinctively put her hands atop the hat and grinned. "I hear it."

Tweek tilted his head. "What do you hear?"

"He's telling me he loves me," Lizzy answered. She sniffed and violently rubbed her eyes. "I love you too."

"Okay, okay," Tweek chuckled. "It's time to go to bed, alright. You have school tomorrow."

"Okay," she yawned. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, baby."

"Daddy says goodnight too."

•••

Tweek rested on the couch. It was approaching half-past ten, and Tweek was staring up at the ceiling.

He didn't know how long he could live like this.

Night after night, he lied tirelessly on the couch, waiting to take a long sniff of his mate and rid of the heavy weight in his chest. It became more unbearable each time he had to sit in silence.

At first, he tried distracting himself from his separation with tv or cleaning or thinking up new ideas for the coffee shop. However, it always spiraled into him thinking of Craig and how they were not together at the moment.

He eventually realized it was best to just remain on the couch, staring at the ceiling, just waiting.

Craig's work began at eleven in the morning, so he'd leave at nine. His work ended at seven at night, so he'd usually come back at 9:30. There were some days when he'd be stuck in traffic and wouldn't be home until ten. And as Tweek watched the clock tick past ten, he imagined traffic being horrible.

Tweek had nearly fallen asleep when he heard the doorknob jiggle. He instantly shot up and stared at the door like an anticipating puppy.

Craig was revealed in his exhausted glory, pushing open the door with one hand while the other held his satchel. His head dropped low, yet Tweek could see the dark circles under his eyes.

"I'm h—," Craig tried, but was easily interrupted with Tweek impacting him with a hug. The omega's arms wound tightly around his mate's waist, not giving Craig any wiggle room, as if Craig would need it.

"I missed you," Tweek whispered, breathing in heavily the scent of his alpha. Craig wasted no time in hugging Tweek back with the equal amount of longing. "We all missed you."

"I know, I'm sorry," Craig mumbled into Tweek's hair while rubbing a hand down the smaller' back.

For a long moment, they stayed like that. Tweek buries his face in the cold exterior of Craig's jacket, warming it with his breath. He gripped as hard as he could, because he knew that, in just less than 24 hours, he'll be back on the couch, waiting.

"Let's go to bed. We're tired," Craig suggested. "We'll talk in the morning."

Pulling away from Craig, Tweek felt a sudden cold. The hardest part of a hug was always letting go.

"Okay."

•••

To the smell of sizzling bacon, Tweek awoke on Saturday morning. He fluttered his eyes open and looked around the room. Craig wasn't there, and Tweek momentarily felt a pain in his chest. 

Then he heard laughing from the kitchen: Lizzy's screech of a cackle and Bella's him and Craig's low chuckle. Tweek closed his eyes again and smiled before he tiredly got up.

Soon, he was walking down the hall in his pajamas so he could hear what his family was saying.

"Can you teach me to crack an egg?" Lizzy chirped.

"Haha— _no_. Not until you're older." Craig.

"But it looks so easy!" Lizzy.

"Yeah, the part where you crack the egg is easy. It's the part when you keep the egg in the pan that's harder." Craig.

"Daddy makes good eggs." Bella.

"How about my French toast?" Craig.

"That's gooder." Bella.

" _Better_." Craig

" _Better_." Bella.

"Better!" Lizzy.

"Better." Bella.

"Bet-!" Lizzy.

"Okay enough of that." Craig.

Tweek laughed into one of his hands while the other rubbed his stomach. For a moment, he wondered what it would he like to hear another voice in his kids' chorus of repeating newly-learned words. He released a scent without realizing.

"Mommy's awake," Craig announced, likely to have grasped the pups' attention. "First one to find him gets the first piece of bacon."

Tweek had hardly any time to slip into the bathroom before he heard the girls' stampede into the hall. He watched the suckers run right past him and into the master bedroom. While they probably searched irrationally around the room, like in the drawers, Tweek easily walked into the kitchen with a smile.

Craig stood by the stove, wearing his sweats and a tank top that showed off the toned arms he always worked hard to keep. And of course, his head was topped with a novelty chef hat that the girls had implored for it to be bought and worn by their father every time he cooked.

The alpha looked back at Tweek with a dazzling smile. "Good morning, love."

"Good morning," Tweek muttered back, smiling as well. He walked up and leaned his hip against the counter.

"I would kiss you, but you probably still have morning breath," Craig shrugged.

"Well you always smell like you have morning breath but guess what I do," Tweek argued.

"Good point, but a rude one," Craig chuckled. He bent down and stole a gentle kiss. He leaned away, sniffed the air, and stared down into Tweek's eyes. "They're coming back."

Just on schedule, Lizzy and Bella dragged their feet into the kitchen with their little discouraged faces. Tweek smiled down at them until Bella finally looked up at him and gasped.

"I found Mommy! I win," she smiled, trotting up to Tweek for her morning hug.

"What?!" Lizzy exclaimed. "We were just here though! How'd you get here?"

"Mommy's secret," Tweek winked. "And, sorry to tell you Bella, but you weren't the first one to find me."

"What?" Bella tilted her head.

"That's right," Craig smiled smugly. "I found him so I get the first bacon."

"Wrong again," Tweek smiled even more smugly. "The baby did, so they get first pick. I'll have to eat it first, though, so it gets down to the baby."

"That's not fair! She's always with you!" Lizzy complained.

f"How do you know it's a she?" Tweek asked skeptically.

"You're not allowed to have a boy," Bella answered.

Tweek nodded slowly. "Makes sense, then."

"Breakfast's ready!" Craig announced.

Soon enough, they were all sitting around the counter island, passing around the syrup and butter. Tweek enjoyed his first pick at the bacon, basking in his family's envious glares. The girls made sure to eat up well before getting ready for the day they'll be spending with Tweek's parents at the frozen lake to ice skate. And Craig bathed himself with compliments he got on his French toast.

Near noon, Tweek's parents came by to pick up the kids. The girls were a bit disappointed to leave their father even when he has a day off but we're excited to practice skating again. As a kid, excitement always outweighed disappointment.

As soon as they saw the car drive around the corner, Craig had his arms wrapped around Tweek from behind and started attacking his neck with nibbles.

"Craig~" Tweek giggled.

"I've really missed you," Craig rumbled into the back of Tweek's neck. "So much."

•••

Tweek rested his head against Craig's bare chest. His ear was full of warmth and the steady sound of his alpha's beating heart. He felt Craig's hand run through his tangled hair.

He couldn't imagine having to let go, or kissing Craig goodbye for the rest of the day and having to wait miserably by the door for his return. He wanted to stay there for the rest of their lives in bliss.

Yet, they couldn't. And the sinking idea of that gnawed at him.

Holding Craig tighter, Tweek mumbled, "I like this."

"Me too," Craig sighed.

It was silent again. In his mind, Tweek struggled on what he should say next, but Craig already took the opportunity.

"Maybe... " Craig mumbled, obviously contemplating whether he should continue. "Maybe... we should..."

"Should what?"

Tweek looked up at his alpha, who looked down at him. Craig's face contorted in concern.

"I hate being away from you. It's a terrible feeling. And I'm scared that something might happen and I won't be there to protect you, because I'm so far away," Craig said.

"I hate being away from you too," Tweek agreed. "It's painful. I always want to be by your side."

"Of course, so..." Craig whispered. Why would he whisper? "Maybe... we should leave South Park."

Tweek jolted off his spot. He semi-sat on Craig's leg and placed his hands on the alpha's chest to support his now-sitting position. He stared at Craig unbelievably. The simplest  _thought_  of leaving South Park was unbelievable.

"Craig no—how could you even... what the Hell, Craig?"

"I know, I know," Craig exhaled, pushing himself up until he was sitting as well, the whole time being stared down by Tweek. "It sounds crazy at first but just hear me out."

"I don't— leaving South Park, Craig? Why—why would we do that?"

"We could move to Denver—"

"Denver?!"

"—and be closer to my new job. It's nice there. There's more to see and do. And a couple of blocks away from my job is a nice little coffee shop that I'm sure you'd love working at."

"What about my family's coffee shop, Craig? I'm supposed to take over the business but I can't do that if I'm two hours away!"

"Your parents are still up and moving. I bet they'll be taking over the shop even after Bella has graduated from college."

"The kids already have lives here! We can't just—just uproot them!"

"Babe, they're still young. They'd be fine with a change of scenery. I think it'll be better over there too. The schools are so much nicer and cleaner and the people are more diverse. Plus, any college worth going to in Colorado is either in or near Denver."

"What about _our_  roots then, Craig?!" Tweek gestured himself. He felt his cheeks turn red, which always happened when he tried not to cry. "We both grew up here. We have lives here! All our friends and family are here! Our memories are here! We know this place, and it's stupid and cheap and sometimes gross, but it's _ours_. How can you even think of leaving it?"

Craig stared at Tweek for a long moment. Then he slowly wrapped his arms around the latter's waist, pulling him into a hug.

"Life is full of changes, Tweek," Craig muttered into blonde hair. "The only thing that would never change is us. As long as we're together, I'm sure we can handle a new home. I love you. So just... think about it, okay?"

Tweek started crying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This Wednesday, as an apology, I will post a side chapter that is not really tied to the main plot. After every three chapters, I will post a little mini side chapter about a different character on the Wednesday of that week. If you don't want to read it, it's fine really, since it's not an important piece of this story.  
> And this Sunday, I will post the next chapter according to the usual schedule.


	9. •EXTRA•

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dates and first impressions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is first side chapter! 
> 
> It will be featuring Davíd! And someone else! 
> 
> You don’t have to read it, if u don’t want to. I will still be updated on Sunday

It was always hard to date for Davíd.

Better said, it was hard for Davíd to start a relationship.

As an attractive young alpha who was still fit for soccer, he got quite a few notices and glances from omegas and, sometimes, betas. He never minded it in the least. If anything, it was sort of empowering.

Of course, it wasn't too rare of an occurrence for a cute little omega to walk up to him in the coffee shop or at the park or in the store or in the library or at the beach or anywhere really and ask him if he was single. Usually the answer was a no. And usually the whole dilemma resulted in a planned date.

They would sit at a little table for two in a casual little place that was just comfortable for two strangers yet just fancy enough for a date. Davíd would look past their fairly priced meals and at the person across from him, and that's when things go downhill.

Instead of the curly-haired lady, or the freckled man, or the green-eyed omega, or the short beta that had come up to him with a flirty smile and small talk, Davíd saw the same person who had sat by him in his high school engineering class and had danced with him that one night at a party. And then he'd remember that same person stepping on tippy-toes to kiss someone else at junior prom and then he’d remember the card that invited him to that person's wedding.

So when his date across from him didn't snort at stupid jokes, or got insanely offended when the smallest degrading joke was made, or made ridiculous faces when things got quiet and awkward, Davíd felt completely defeated.

They was usually had just that day and then that night, but never a second date.

But no matter how many many new conversations he has and how many people he touches, he'd never feel as bubbly as he does when he catches just a glimpse of Kyle Broflovski on the streets of South Park.

•••

In autumn, Davíd liked to be a volunteer soccer coach. It never really interfered with his actual job of being the South Park High School's soccer coach. It was always a nice change from sweaty and obnoxious teenagers to innocent toddlers who would rather touch the ball with their hands than actually kick it.

When all 13 of the kids, who ranged between three and four years old, registered into his team, he began their practice. It was always the same; they all sucked. Michelle kept plucking the grass off the ground. Jason kept picking his nose and rubbing his infected finger on the ball. And Kevin... Kevin was just weird.

Nonetheless, Davíd was always good with kids. It was his gift—after soccer of course. All the parents adored his ways of teaching them and made sure to give him little comments whenever it was time to pick up their kids.

Recently, there was one kid—who was probably the whitest one of them all—who had to wait nearly an hour and a half after every other kid left. Every time that happened, Davíd offered to kick the ball around with little James, who was always overly-enthusiastic about it. The kid was over-enthusiastic about everything, just like his mom.

One afternoon, while Davíd was lightly tapping the ball to the 3-year-old who could hardly keep up, James' mother came up to them in with the usual half-jog. Of course, she wore her tired smile.

"Hey, coach," she greeted. Her orange-blond hair flew behind her. "Sorry I'm late again."

"Oh no it's fine, Jenny," Davíd smiled, kicking the ball up into his hand while James ran up to his mom. "I know it's your work."

"Ah, well it won't happen again," she smiled, naturally. "My brother offered to start picking up James."

"Oh that's great!" Davíd grinned. "Can I have his name so I know who James is going home with?"

"His name's Gary. He's a blonde alpha," Jenny described. "You'll meet him in the next practice. But thank you for always staying after so long with James. It really meant a lot."

"Oh it was no problem. James is a good kid."

Soon enough she and James were gone. And Davíd was left alone. As usual.

•••

There really wasn't anything significant when they met. Practice was as normal as it could be with unpredictable toddlers. The same went for the youth team he volunteered as a coach for.

At the end of the day, the kids' parents came to pick them up. Most of them were usually gone in the first 5 minutes. Among the last few, there was James. For a second, Davíd wondered if Jenny's brother completely forgot about him. Once the second to last kid was picked up, Davíd came up to James, who sat happily on the grass.

"Does your uncle remember he has to pick you up?" Davíd asked.

"Yes. Yes." James said.

"Alright, then," Davíd exhaled.

Shortly after their intensive conversation, Davíd saw another man half-jog up to them. The man was whole Caucasian package: skin as pale as paper, bright blonde hair that’s gelled to the side, and, upon closer examination, baby blue eyes. He did look a bit like Jenny; he definitely had her permanent smile.

"Uncle!" James screeched, running towards the man.

"Hey James!" The man said. His voice was light and feathery yet still had a bit of depth that came naturally to alphas such as himself. He knelt down and stretched out his arms for James to run into. When James did, the man easily swept the boy off his feet. "Oh, you're getting bigger and bigger." 

David smiled politely, like he always does whenever he met with parents or guardians. As he walked closer to the man he knew as Gary, he realized the man was about two or three inches below David. 

"Oh hello," Gary greeted happily. David wasn't sure if it was just because he smiled, but Gary had a soft-looking face. His jaw wasn't too defined and his nose was stout. His eyes were wide and his lips were thin. Not to mention, he had small dimples. "I'm sorry for being late. Jenny told me practice ended half an hour later, then she texted me fifteen minutes ago, freaking out because she'd just remembered the proper time. Aha, you must forgive her though; she's a busy woman." 

"I know," David laughed. "She has a packed schedule; I get it. This is the earliest James has been picked up in a few weeks, actually." 

"Oh, well, I'll be more punctuate after this," Gary said, still holding up James. "I'm Gary, by the way." 

"Yeah, I know," David chuckled. In the back of his head, he knew it sounded sort of creepy, even as he said it. But what really established the weirdness of that comment was the face Gary made when David looked down at him. "Oh, wait, no--I meant--Jenny told me who you'd be." 

David felt his cheeks burn. This was his first impression with the man he’d have to see for the next two months, and he was coming off as some stalker.

“It’s fine, don’t worry, Coach _Davíd_ ,” Gary emphasized his knowing of the other’s name with a sincere smile.

Davíd laughed. “Aha, she told you my name too.”

“Yeah, your name sort of came up when we talked about my picking up her child from a man who taught him soccer.”

By the end of their chuckle, Davíd stretched out a hand for the other to shake.

“Nice to meet you,” he said pleasantly.

“Same here,” Gary said even more pleasantly. “I’m looking forward to seeing you again.”

“Of course.”

Gary and James left soon after that, leaving Davíd alone at the tree which youth soccer practice took place under. As they walked away, Gary asked James about practice and the boy answered earnestly.

Davíd watched them go, curiously.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I plan on making another story featuring a few rarepairs, including this one! 
> 
> This is more of just a sneak peek, really. 
> 
> But after this story, ima get working on that one!
> 
> See y’all Sunday!


	10. •TEN•

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lies and motels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay guys  
> I’m a little late 
> 
> You don’t have to read this part (it’s just my excuse)  
> Tbh I haven’t been feeling so happy I guess idk for the past month. I don’t think it’s depression or anything. But everything just sucked reeaaaalllyy bad and honestly I think it’s bc of school. U have no idea how much motivation I lost. A lot has been going on and I’m super stressed and I constantly feel like breaking down or something. My sleep sucks and my day sucks even more. But it’s getting better I think. I’m really sorry for being super late without notice but I just needed a break to sort things out. Thank you guys soooooooo much for being this loyal. I’m so happy I can be this little part of your life

Leo wasn’t a stranger to lies. Growing up, lying was his only way of living. He told his mom he already did his stretches even though he couldn’t because his back was aching. He told his dad he’d find it acceptable to have his hand given away in an arranged marriage even though he couldn’t because he believed in love. He told his parents that he was going home late because he had been getting tutoring but he wasn’t because he was with Kenny.

However, lying to Kenny was a foreign idea.

•••

The day of the lie started anxiously. 

Leo had awoken with a thought in the back of his mind: _Today_ _I_ _see_ _my_ _father_. It throbbed tirelessly like a drummer warning the army of the enemies that approach. And rather than echo the thought with his words, Leo decided to stay quiet.

Two weeks before his due date, on a day that would have Kenny in work and the children in school, Leo pretended to be sleeping still when Kenny was getting ready. Usually, Leo would be up by the time his mate was tightening his belt. Leo would smile, receive a peck on his cheek, and see Kenny off to ready the kids.

However, that day of the lie, Leo kept his eyes closed despite hearing the clinking on Kenny’s belt. The guilt Leo felt was like having something stuck in the back of his throat: A nuisance at most yet still uncomfortable.

For the added effect of feigning sleep, Leo slightly stirred when he felt Kenny’s slightly chapped lips against his cheek. He was able to hear his mate’s soft chortle, followed by deliberately quiet footsteps that led out the door and into the kids’ bedroom. 

After his family had left to their daily lives, Leo began his odd struggle to sitting up and eventually standing.

On that day of the lie, Leo walked out his front door, and, for the first time in many years, voluntarily entered a car which was driven by his awaiting mother.

 

 

They didn’t say much in the car, not that there was nothing to say; there were a million things to say. The weight that fell on Leo’s shoulders was not from the silence that surrounded him and his mother, but the potential lack of it between him and his father.

It was hard to imagine looking his father in the eyes again, after what had happened in the past. Yet, after finding out about his father’s newfound freedom, he had to meet the man again if he wanted to keep his sanity.

He didn’t think the wounds that cut deep into him would be healed by the end of the day. Hell, Leo didn’t even expect to feel remorse for the man. Perhaps it was a sort of closure he needed—either Stephan Stotch was still the cruel man he was the day he attempted to sell Leo or Stephan Stotch had truly changed for the better after rotting in a cell. Could the system really change a man for the better?

Leo was lost in the jungle made of his thoughts, clutching his stomach and unborn child securely. A few memories resurfaced regarding his father and an unborn child.

“What will be his name?” His mother asked in her whispery voice. If there was any example of a transparent voice, it would be of Linda Stotch’s.

Leo didn’t process the words immediately after hearing them. After a moment, he said, “Kaden.”

The way he said the name sounded terribly similar to the way his mother talked.

“That’s pretty,” she said. And a tiny smile appeared on her face. “He will be very pretty.”

Sometimes, Leo wondered why he didn’t have normal conversations with his mother. Then she would say stuff like “he will be very pretty” and Leo realizes, again, that it would never be possible.

“Where does he live now?” Leo asked. They both knew who _he_  was. And they both knew where he lived. However, Leo wanted to stir the conversation away from his future son being pretty.

“He’s staying in a motel in Fort Collins,” she answered. “He might move back with me.”

“Is that safe?”

“I don’t know, Butters.”

Leo hated hearing that name from either of his parents’ mouths. It felt like a sting from a long-drained poison.

He didn’t say anything after that. He didn’t like the idea of his father moving back in with his mother. It took years for Linda to get to this point of her healing—and even then, she wasn’t the most stable. If Stephan were to be in close contact with her again, who knows what progress could be unraveled just by his presence.

Leo glanced at Linda’s phone that was settled on the dashboard and presented the directions to the motel in Fort Collins; it said they were 8 minutes away. The lower that number went, the more anxious he got. He held his stomach tighter in an apology to his unborn pretty child, hoping he had not made a fatal mistake.

 

 

The motel was anything to be expected from a motel. It was a one-story building with about half-a-dozen doors. Varying cars lay in the parking lot, all apart and aloof.

They parked the car a few yards from the door they would soon enter. There were more than enough spaces to park right in front of the door, but Leo was more than glad that his mother stopped where she stopped.

Linda turned off the car but neither made a move to get out. A Stotch and a McCormick, sitting silently in a vehicle, knowing they would soon meet the man who drove a wedge between them and reality.

Linda rubbed her hands against the steering wheel a few times with her shoulders hunched. When Leo looked at her, he saw undeniable distress in her wide-eyes. He held his stomach tighter.

“I don’t think he’ll do anything to it,” she whispered. And in a failed attempt, she smiled reassuringly at Leo. “Stephan will think Kaden is pretty too.”

“I don’t think I can go anymore,” Leo gasped. He flung his hand to his chest and let out a heavy breath. “It’s best we don’t ever see him again. We—we should just go. He doesn’t know we’re here yet.”

“No, no, no,” Linda tried. “We got this far—“

“I don’t care! I can’t do this anymore!” Leo whimpered. He was sure his scent was filling the car, but Linda paid no mind.

“Look at me, look at me,” she said as firmly as she could. “We’re here. And we are going to see him. And we are going to get through this.”

“I can’t Mo—“

Leo wasn’t sure if he was more shocked by the interrupting knock on the window, or the fact that he was about to call Linda _mom_. Regardless, he jumped.

Staring through the window, with a withered smile, was Stephan Stotch.

•••

Leo’s mouth was dry despite having just taken a sip of water. He stared down at the lump in his stomach, avoiding catching his father’s eye.

Stephan sat across from Leo and Linda on the small table he used as a dining table. His hair was thinning in the front, leaving his forehead shiny and bare. He grew a sort of awkward stubble on his lower face that gave him a more worldly appearance. Prison truly aged him more years than he should’ve. Wrinkles covered his face as if he was masked by a filter.

Linda hadn’t been able to keep her eyes off him. Her stared at him like he were solid, not a transparent figure. She was actually _looking_  at him. Leo hadn’t had that look from her since he was a child. He wasn’t sure if she was gaining sanity, or losing it.

“How was the drive?” Stephan asked in his newer, older voice. He spoke as if he hadn’t implemented childhood trauma into Leo. 

“It was okay,” Leo answered bluntly. He figured he would have to do all the answering, since his mother seemed preoccupied with her own thoughts.

“Good, good,” Stephan nodded. And then it was quiet again.

Leo didn’t know if he’d ever be able to look his father on the eye again. At the moment, it seemed impossible. Every time he dared to glance up at the man, he thought of the first child he ever conceived and how it was forever lost; then he’d look down at his fingers.

“Just tell us what you need to,” Leo said, surprising himself with how stern he sounded. He wanted to leave and be next to Kenny again. 

“Alright then,” Stephan sighed. He clasped his hands together in front of him and Leo could see it perfectly. He remembered how much those fists had hurt him.

Leo glanced at his mother, who was still staring intently. Then he looked back down at the fists, waiting for the man to talk.

“I wanted to say... I’m truly sorry. Sorry for the way I had treated both of you in the past, especially you, Butters-“

“Please don’t call me that,” Leo winced. “My name is Leopold.”

“Okay, _Leopold_ , I am sorry. And I know you won’t forgive me so easily because of all I have done to you— _both_  of you—but all I can do now is try.”

He turned his attention to Linda, who was forever unchanging.

“We used to be in love. I remembered every moment of it while I was away. I thought about how you looked on your first date. You wore a nice pink dress with big white polka dots. There was a tiny hole around the waist and you were so embarrassed about it, that you always had to keep your cardigan closed shut around it. But I knew it was there.”

Leo looked to his mother as Stephan recollected memories of their past. It had never occurred to him that they must’ve been in some sort of love to ever marry each other. They had held hands, and kissed, and _talked_  to each other. What if Stephan was Linda’s Kenny? What if Kenny will one day be Leo’s Stephan?

Linda didn’t change the way she looked at him, but Leo couldn’t imagine her stare being any more stronger than it was now. Was she thinking about her polka dot dress? Stephan continued.

“What happened to us?” He asked, his face scrunching. “I loved you so much—I _still_ love you so much. I wouldn’t dream of asking you to go back to the way things were, though. I know that I hurt you too much. But... I just want you to understand that I’m sorry. I’m a changed man. I’m sorry I hurt you.” 

He closed his mouth, looking for any judgment from Linda. Her eyes were still dry and frozen. However, she let out a long, fragile exhale through her nose, and that was the end of her response.

Leo hoped she’d say something. Anything. Anything to stall the moment in which Stephan would turn to him with his specially-worded apology.

Stephan sighed quietly. He closed his eyes, nodded, and, when he opened his eyes again, he was looking at Leo, who didn’t dare look back at him.

“Leopold,” Stephan sad sadly. Leo thought it would sting less if his father stopped calling him Butters, but the impact was the same. “I... I don’t know where I should begin. I hurt you so terribly.”

“You did,” Leo snarled. He felt a scent of aggression leave his body. Stephan must’ve smelt it because his nose flared.

“I know, I know,” Stephan said, gesturing with his hands a surrender. “You will never forgive me, I understand. I just want you to hear me out. Please.”

“Well, I’m here, aren’t I?”

“Yes. Yes you are. And for that, I am forever grateful. So I should just say it now.

I’m sorry. I abused you for my own selfish reasons. I had you do things that no child should have to. I’m sure I left you with some trauma and I could never change that.”

Leo hated him all over again. He felt like he was 7, when his father screamed at him for misplacing something. Then he was 12, hearing his father hit the wall in frustration during Leo’s first Heat. Then he was 16, seeing his dad as a free man for the last time before jumping out a window into Kenny’s arms to escape his father’s awful intentions.

“And I see now that you’re happy,” Stephan said. “I hear you are mated with Kenny and that you have two kids, and... one on the way.”

Leo clutched his stomach. Not again. Not again. Not again.

“You must be excited. And I’m glad everything worked out for you. After your awful childhood, you truly deserve the happiness you have now. You have no idea how much I regret how I treated you. I thought about it every day in prison. And every single day, I wanted to vomit because you deserved so much more. You were a fantastic kid. And you’re strong. And I admire you because of it. You were strong enough to come here, and listen to your past-abuser, so I thank you. And I want you to know, that even in the _deepest_ part of my heart... I am sorry.”

Stephan hung his head low like a bow. Leo breathed deeply, staring down at the mess of knots and tangles that sat on his father’s head.

Then Leo looked at his mother, who had finally moved her gaze to her fingers. She was actually looking at her fingers as if they were real, and not a transparent figure that she saw everything. Slowly, her eyes trailed to Leo’s. Her eyes were blue. A pretty, light blue.

Leo looked at his father again. “Okay.”

Stephan looked up at him. Leo continued.

“We heard you. Thank you... for understanding the horrible things you did. I’m glad you learned enough to apologize. You are changing, I can see that, and I— _we_  appreciate it.”

Stephan smiled. A fragile smile of relief—not to small to be indistinguishable and not to big to show overconfidence. A smile worn by a man who had just had his life spared.

“If that is all,” Leo said, “then we will get going.” 

Leo was just about to begin the awkward process of standing up when Stephan’s hand reached out half-way between them. Leo flinched and nearly cowered back into the couch.

“Wait!” Stephan exclaimed. “There’s something else... I wanted to ask.”

“And that is?”

“If I can prove to be a changed man; that I am better than how I was... would you... let me back into your life?” Stephan asked tentatively. His eyes were filled a sorrowful hope. “I know it may be too much to ask... but I want to see my grandkids.”

Leo didn’t say anything. He remembered being 16, right before he jumped out the window, looked directly into his father’s eyes. They had been crazed and desperate. 

And now Leo looked into the same eyes, yet they were so different. Please please please. Sorry sorry sorry.

A sad man. An old man. A man with nothing.

Leo swallowed thickly.

“Maybe.”

•••

It had been less than two hours since he left that Leo. Nevertheless, Kenny and the kids were home. Kenny was in the living room, watching TV while Katie and Korey drew at the coffee table when Leo entered through the front door.

The pups, per usual, swarmed Leo happily, screeching about how their mother was home. Kenny was soon by his side to help him walk to the couch for a seat.

“Hey, love,” Kenny smiled and kissed the omega’s cheek. “How was tea with Tweek?”

Leo, looked straight into the eyes of the man he loved most, told his first lie to Kenny.

He smiled. “It was good.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup he’s back 
> 
> (Disclaimer: the relationships of this story are purely for entertainment and they’re obviously unrealistic and I hope you are smart enough to not base your morals off some South Park fanfic. If you had ANYONE like Stephan in ur life, stay the fuck away from them. I don’t care if they have some sob story. If they hurt you, they don’t deserve to see you when you healed) 
> 
> Hopefully, I’ll see u guys next week! 
> 
> Hopefully


	11. •ELEVEN•

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Doubts and chores.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scheduled updates are overrated anyway.

Stan went to work in a bitter mood.

Red saw it; she raised a curious eyebrow when looking up from her phone. Firkle saw it; he stared longer than he usually would. The client who sat in front of Firkle did not; he was more focused that his tattoo artist was paying more attention to the approaching figure than on his first ever tattoo on his arm.

For the most part, everyone knew that Stan was in a bitter mood.

Of course Stan wasn’t feeling his happiest. For the third time in the past week and a half, Kyle had come home nearly an hour late with the excuse that he had a tough trial coming up and he wanted to be prepared. If it had been any other time, Stan would’ve believed it. But after seeing him with _Yardale_ and listening to those girls at the bar and overhearing that phone call, Stan just wasn’t sure. 

None of Stan’s co-workers said anything to him. Stan was both grateful because he wasn’t in the talking mood yet disappointed because he was in the ranting mood. Regardless, for the first half of the day, Stan was left to brood to himself.

That was until his usual 11 AM client walked through the door and took a sloppy seat down in the cushioned chair, smelling like dirt and mud.

“Ze ‘ell is wrong wiz you?” He scowled. Never a filter on him.

“Holy Hell, yeah, what the fuck is wrong with you?” Firkle said quickly as if he just blurted something he’d been keeping to himself all day. The client beneath Firkle‘s now-unsteady hands and needle stared wide-eyed at his arm where his first tattoo was forming.

Stan exhaled quietly while putting on his gloves, prepared to release his troubles. He was grateful because he was in the ranting mood yet disappointed because he wasn’t in the talking mood. Regardless, Stan already had what he wanted to say listing in his head.

And so he said it. While he was preparing his dirty client, he was talking about the phone call. While he was printed the first few lines, he was talking about being invited to the party. While he was in the middle of the session, he was finishing up the story with harsh mentions against Kyle’s boss.

“Zes ‘Kyle’s boss’ you mentioned, he sounds like an asshole,” the French guy mumbled, his cheek still squished against the chair due to Stan’s work on his back. Stan always forgot what his name was. He was only able to remember it the one time he told Kyle of his new client with a cool French accent.

“He _is_ , dude, trust me,” Stan grumbled as he worked.

“I don’t have an opinion of Kyle,” Firkle said in his normally-quiet voice, “but he doesn’t seem like the type to cheat. Ike makes him out to be some honorable guy. But, then again, Ike practically worships Kyle.”

“I wouldn’t think Kyle would cheat either,” Stan said glumly. “But, like, all the evidence is really stacking up. I mean, he’s been home late, like, three times in the past week.”

Both Firkle and the French client made a long, disappointing sound. Even Ike’s client made a face, but Stan wasn’t sure if it was because of the new information shared or the fact that Firkle was hardly paying attention to the tattoo he was supposed to be applying.

“Zat... does not sound good,” Frenchie said.

“It really doesn’t,” Firkle added.

Stan felt so incredibly low in that moment that he had to pause from his work for a moment. It was a crushing feeling. Kyle, for his whole life, had been practically _everything_ to Stan. A friend and a lover. The one person he knew best and the one person who knew him best.

If Kyle didn’t feel the same...

Then what could there possibly be worth living for?

Firkle possibly saw the fresh wave of defeat on Stan’s face and quickly said something after. “But, we don’t know anything. Maybe talk to your friends about it: Cartman and Karen’s brother and maybe even Ruby’s brother.” He was referring to Kenny and Craig respectively. “I think they all have a more well-informed opinion.”

Stan tightened his lips and thought over Firkle’s words. It did seem like a good idea to talk to the guys about it. They might have more uplifting opinions that would counteract Stan’s assumptions.

•••

They didn’t.

After telling Kenny and Cartman (Craig couldn’t make it; shocker) everything he told Firkle and Frenchie (Stan didn’t count Firkle’s scared client as a listener) including the fact that Kyle had been coming home late, both friends made the same long disappointing sound.

Stan currently had his forehead glued to the edge of the likely-dirty bar table. Nothing about this day was going well.

“Look man,” Kenny tried, “this is _Kyle_ we’re talking about. Our best friend. The best man at my wedding! He wouldn’t just... cheat on you, I mean, c’mon!” 

Stan slowly lifted his head to see Kenny’s reassuring smile. For a second, he wanted to smile too. This was Kyle. There was no way he would do something like have an affair.

Then Cartman spoke up.

Over the years, Eric Cartman has gotten more mellow. His opinions weren’t so harsh and his accusation weren’t so often. Wendy had changed that in him and everyone who had ever known Cartman thanks her for it. However, that meant Cartman was more sensible. Now his energy was more channeled and accurate. So whenever he hit something, it hurt a Hell of a lot more.

“I don’t know man,” Cartman shrugged, causing Kenny to instantly glare at him. “Kyle grew up in a home with high expectations. He knows the difference between what’s successful and what’s not. He’s always known that—no offense Stan—that you wouldn’t be able to care for him like another rich, successful, attractive, powerful—“ Stan felt like vomiting— “alpha can. And Kyle has found that alpha. He’s been defending you from his parents forever. Maybe it finally hit him that he can do better.”

“Jesus fucking Christ, Cartman!” Kenny scowled. “You aren’t helping anything!”

“I’m stating the facts,” Cartman said defensively.

Stan’s mind started tuning out their argument. He stared down at the table in a sudden regret.

He should’ve treated Kyle better in high school. He should’ve taken him on more dates. He should’ve went to college for something more ambitious like being a doctor. He should’ve helped with the kids more. He should’ve spent more night talking. He should’ve gotten more flowers. He should’ve danced more. He should’ve cleaned the house more often. He should’ve made Kyle—his best friend and mate—happier.

He should’ve been better.

Kyle deserved better.

Kyle—the AP student who took calculus as a sophomore; the scholar who went to law school to be the bet damn lawyer; the mother who was able to balance his success and his children—deserved better than Stan—the average student; the attendee to a trade school; the mediocre tattoo artist; the pathetic father who couldn’t even remember to bring his son’s favorite toy.

Stan wanted to cry and vomit and hit something. Above all else, he wanted Kyle to stay with him.

“ _You_ _fucking_ _dumbass_ — Stan?” Kenny noticed the many conflicted emotions on his friend’s face. “Dude, are you... you good?” 

“No,” Stan groaned purposely to drown out any possible instability of his voice. “I just... I don’t know. I don’t know what I’m gonna’ do.”

He rested his head on the table again to shield his watering eyes from them. He felt his friends’ uncomfortable shifting but he didn’t care.

“Dude,” Kenny said. “I still don’t think Kyle would do that. He loves you man. He has been for like... ever. He doesn’t need some rich guy. I think he likes bringing in the money anyway. You make him happy. We all know that.”

Stan didn’t get up, but the words were still very pleasant to hear.

“Maybe just... reiterate why you’re worth staying around for.” That was Cartman. There was a thump of a fish landing on an arm and Cartman said, “ _Ow_! Jeez, I’m just saying! Take him out or buy him... a book? I don’t know what he likes. Get him a dreidel or something, I don’t know.”

“Fuck off, Cartman,” Kenny muttered.

“Yeah, I should take him on a date,” Stan said quietly. “We haven’t done that in a while.”

“You know—Stan,” Kenny started then paused, as if he was trying to figure out what to say. “It’s good to take your mate on a date and all... just don’t do it because of this only. I mean... don’t go on a date because you feel like it’ll keep Kyle tethered to you. I don’t really know how to say it. Don’t make it an obligation. A chore.”

Stan looked up at Kenny.

Kenny continued, “He loves you. Trust me. Take him out because you love him too. I’m willing to bet my whole life savings that Kyle loves you and wouldn’t cheat on you.”

“Would you, though,” Cartman scoffed.

“Yes, I would,” Kenny said meaningfully. “I trust Kyle. And you should too, Stan.”

•••

When Stan entered his room, he saw Kyle reading a book with two pups sleeping around him. Luther lay on a his stomach beside the omega and Nathan snuggled in the crook of his mother’s leg. The room was scented with Kyle’s nurturing smell of apples and cinnamon.

Kyle looked up when he saw the door open. He sighed in relief and lifted his arms.

“Can you take them to their beds?” Kyle asked. Then he looked down at Nathan’s peaceful face. “I don’t have the heart to pick them up. Just look at them.”

Stan did. Then he took a picture of both his sons. Then he realized that he didn’t have the heart to pick them up either. 

“I’ll just sleep on the floor,” Stan said, finally. 

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Kyle rolled his eyes. “Just pick him up and carry him away quietly.”

“Why don’t you?” Stan asked.

“Because I’m the _mother_. I have a harder time with this stuff. Please, baby? Besides, I was the one who had to watch them while you were at the bar.”

“You’re way better with them, though,” Stan said glumly. “You have this scent and all. They hate me.”

“No, they don’t,” Kyle shook his head. “Kids always go through this phase. Leo’s kids did. Tweek’s kids did. Not Wendy’s though. Theo has actually been more clingy to Cartman recently. She’s kinda upset about it.”

Stan snickered quietly. “Theo must have Wendy’s weird ability to love Cartman.”

“I know, right,” Kyle smiled. Then he shook his head. “Just please take them to their beds? Actually, just take Nathan. I’ll take Luther.”

“You got the easy one.”

“Well, who’s the one who always wakes up when Luther cries?”

“Hmm. Touché.”

After all was said and done and the pups were resting peacefully in their respective beds, Stan was prepared to rest his own. Kyle was already snuggled under the blanket, face pushed into the pillow. 

Stan remembered the days when Kyle would coyly perk out from under the blanket and stare at Stan undress. He looked so cute when his face turned as red as his hair when Stan caught him looking. That was before they married, when Stan would sometimes sneak into Kyle’s room and just sleep the night away.

Stan had loved him then, and he loves him now. He didn’t think that would change even if Kyle moved on.

He slipped into bed beside Kyle. He placed a solid hand on his omega’s back, rubbing it up and down slowly. Kyle let out a soft breath, flickering his eyes open to meet Stan’s.

“I love you,” Stan whispered before he could stop himself. It needed to be said.

For every second Kyle was quiet, Stan’s skin tense more. After about five seconds of his Stan’s skin tightening, Kyle tilted his head.

“Is something wrong?” Kyle asked. Stan’s skin burned for a quick moment.

“No,” he said. “I just wanted you to know.”

“Oh, well I love you, too,” Kyle replied. Did those words mean anything at all?

“Do you wanna’ go on a date this weekend?” Stan asked, biting back the pain he felt. “We haven’t done that in a while.”

“Oh, yeah, that sounds good,” Kyle smiled. Then he yawned. “Let’s talk more about this in the morning. I’m tired.”

“Okay, Goodnight,” Stan said.

“Goodnight.”

Stan kept his hand rubbing Kyle’s back for a few more minutes before he let rest there.

Then he turned on his back and looked at the ceiling, listening to the soft sounds of Kyle sleeping.

He had trouble sleeping that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See you at some point!


	12. •TWELVE•

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dogs and footsteps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who’s on tiiiiiiiime

“No.”

Craig said it many times in this debate, yet he said it again. And just like every time he did, the little girl beside him begged even more.

“ _Pleeeeease_?” Lizzy whined loudly. She hopped up and down while keeping her hands clutched the counter that Craig was preparing breakfast on.

“Lizzy, I’m not changing my mind,” Craig said sternly. The effect of his authority didn’t wane even to the fact that he was wearing a dorky Star Wars apron and was mixing a bowl of French toast.

Tweek watched it all from the island that stood in the middle of the kitchen. He was sipping coffee in zen, watching Bella color in the doodles that Craig made for her.

It was Craig’s blessed day off. It had become a tradition that he’d make a grand breakfast once a week in apology for missing so many other breakfasts. It was a win-win solution; Craig loved cooking it and the rest loved eating it.

For whatever reason, Lizzy found that it was the best time to bring up the thing that she’d been anxiously waiting to ask for for a week. Almost the instant Craig put on the apron that made him look like Darth Vader, Lizzy was by his side with a proposition.

“I’ll take real good care of it!” She bargained. She bounced up and down in her way of negotiation.

“Lizzy, if we were to get _any_  pet, it would be a guinea pig. And Bella is allergic so _no_ ,” Craig stained. It had been a dark day for him when baby Bella started sneezing when she got near a guinea pig at the pet shop. Tweek remembered him being so glum the rest of that week.

“But a dog is a like a _big_  guinea pig!” She argued, tilting her head far back like a vertical seal. Tweek smiled pleasantly because he knew Craig would be offended in every way possible if anyone even remotely compared a _dog_  to guinea pig.

“Lizzy, a dog is nothing like a guinea pig,” Craig said, pausing in his cooking to look down at his daughter. “Guinea pigs are easier to care for. And they’re cuter. And way better.”

“Let her have opinions, Craig,” Tweek warned from his seat. Craig grumbled.

“Okay fine. You’re allowed to think _dogs_ are better than guinea pigs. But we’re still not getting a dog.”

“Please.”

“No.”

“Please!”

“No.”

“PLEASE!”

“Lizzy, I swear to God—“

“Lizzy, baby, you can’t get a dog,” Tweek intervened before Craig could go on a curse-filled rant. “Maybe when you guys are old enough to properly take care of it.”

“I’m old enough now!”

“You still have trouble tying your shoes.”

“That’s different.”

An hour after the episode of back-to-back banter, Lizzy sat at her chair grumpily chewing on the French toast that her stubborn father created. Though she didn’t let it show on her face, everyone knew that the French toast was amazing and she just didn’t want to admit it.

“I don’t like it,” she lied.

“Then don’t eat it,” Craig replied easily.

She only grunted lowly and took another bite. Tweek smiled despite himself, eyeing the blue chullo hat Lizzy wore. It was so fitting that Craig’s hat as well as his grumpy genes passed on to Lizzy.

Bella and Tweek and the unnamed child with him, on the other hand, consumed their breakfast in content.

Tweek loved this scene. Even with his mate and their pup bickering and Bella making a mess of the syrup, Tweek was filled with a sense of completion. Blame it on the hormones but this picture was perfect. All of them eating at the table together. Loving each other. Seeing each other’s faces.

This was a family. Tweek couldn’t be any more prouder to be part of it.

He slowly rubbed his stomach as if warning his pup that this was what life was going to be.

All good things.

•••

Come to an end.

Tweek sat at the edge of his bed, not quite sitting but not quite standing. He dried his hair absentmindedly with one hand while the other held his cell phone to his ear.

“I have a buddy here that’ll let me spend the night,” Craig said fragilely. Tweek could hear the pure exhaustion in his voice. He imagined his alpha rubbing his eyes thoroughly at the moment.

Suddenly, the morning a few days ago with the French toast and arguing about the dog felt so far away—too far away. The Craig who had claimed guinea pigs were the best of all pets and drank his coffee with no intention of changing his mind was not coming home that night. The Lizzy who argued that a dog would be a fantastic addition and drank her apple juice with even less of an intention to changing her mind, was now in her bed, possibly staring at the blue hat to remind herself how much her father loves her.

“How long do you think it’ll take?” Tweek asked tentatively.

“I—I don’t know. Everyone is saying that, last time, they went home past midnight,” Craig explained tiredly. Tweek glanced at the digital clock beside him and saw the red ‘9:13’ glaring back at him. “I don’t think it would be safe for me to drive back anyway. I feel ready to pass out already.”

Work was piling up. This would be the first night that Craig doesn’t come home. It was only a matter of time before he got a small apartment up in Denver to stay in for days at a time. And then he’d meet another omega who was willing to go anywhere with him. And they’d fall in love, leaving Tweek and the kids to fend for themselves in the town they refused to leave in the first place. Tweek frowned deeply.

“Okay then.” It wasn’t okay. “What about tomorrow?When—when do you think you-you’ll get back?”

“Honey, take a breath. You’re getting anxious,” Craig said softly. Tweek did as was told. “I’ll come back home like usual.”

“At 10?”

“Yes.”

They were quiet for a moment. Tweek thought about how long the hours would be without his alpha for a day. The kids won’t be happy when they hear about it in the morning. Tweek wasn’t happy _now_.

Craig let the silence simmer until he sighed lowly. “I know, honey. It’s hard, but I’ll call you in the morning and during my break. It’ll be fine.”

“I want to smell you when I wake up, though,” Tweek muttered. He rubbed his eye as quietly as he could.

“I do to, sweetheart,” Craig exhaled, “But it’ll only be this one time.” It wouldn’t be, though. Tweek figured they both knew it.

Tweek didn’t say anything for a few seconds, already feeling too cold.

“I love you. So much. You are—“ Craig stopped to yawn— “you are amazing. I’m really sorry I have to do this. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay love?”

“Okay,” Tweek mumbled. “I love you too.”

“Goodnight. Get some sleep.”

Then he hung up.

Tweek kept the silent phone to his ear for a while longer than necessary before he let his arm fall. He sighed and dropped the phone beside him. He covered his face with his hands.

The lament he felt surged through him in the form of tears. It rushed down his cheeks and onto his hands, which held his mouth shut in order to quiet the sobs that begged to escape him.

His chest was torn with an aching pain, his heart yearning to be next to his alpha. His head buzzed with different scenarios in which everything about this new adjustment would end up in the flames. His shoulders shook uncontrollably as everything crushed him more.

 _Craig_.

 

•••

 

She saw it all.

From the cracked opening at the door.

She gripped the ends of her hat tightly.

Her father’s voice.

_I love you. I love you all._

•••

A part of Tweek first thought of Craig when he heard it in the middle of the night. It was a sudden and short crash of glass. Tweek was flushed with another sense of sadness when he remembered where Craig was.

Then, it was soon replaced by a wave of fear. His skin rolled with warmth for a moment.

That wasn’t Craig.

That was his window downstairs.

Those are footsteps.

Tweek sat up as slowly as possible. Fear gripped him, paralyzing him. He was a pregnant omega in a house with two other pups. No alpha. Except for the one downstairs.

The first thing he did was shoot a hand to his neck, covering his gland the best he could. He was never the best at controlling his scent and that was not what he wanted to be the death of him.

Down the hall. Lizzy slept. Bella slept.

Coming up the stairs. _Footsteps_.

Tweek used his other hand to cover his mouth. He was breathing too loudly, too fast. He was a pregnant omega. He could not be found awake. Kyle had told him the disgusting things that alphas have done to pregnant omegas.

The first thing that reacted was his right leg, which landed at the edge of the bed, leveraging his rise. His other leg slowly but quietly followed suit. And soon, he was sitting up in silence.

When the footsteps paused, so did he. He froze again, listening as much as he could but his heartbeat was like thunder in his chest.

Did the stranger hear him? Smell him?

Tweek clenched his eyes closed in anticipation. He slowed his breathing to a minimum, though his chest was on the brink of spasming.

He opened his eyes when the footsteps began again.

His phone was on the other side of the bed. The stranger was almost up the stairs. Tweek’s breath was hardly contained. His scent _was not_ contained. His body could hardly move. His kids were down the hall, sleeping. His alpha was away. He was an omega.

His _kids_  were down the hall.

Sleeping.

Oblivious.

The _footsteps_ were heading down the hall.

Slowly.

Purposely.

He took the lamp. It was settled on the nightstand. Unplugging it was so easy yet so difficult. With one hand only, since his other was occupied with covering his scent as much as possible. He had to be silent. He had to be quick. The footsteps had stopped a few times, perhaps searching other things, but it was down the hall.

Tweek had to place his feet at just the right places on the floor. He knew where it creaked and he knew where it didn’t. Yet, in the spur of the moment, his memory was hazy.

He held his breath, knowing that if he didn’t, he would be hyperventilating. One hand was still on his neck, the other still gripping the lamp.

He paused when he reached the door. It would definitely make a sound, regardless of how slow or how fast he could open it. It would make a noise and Tweek would get caught.

Down the hall.

He breathed in.

 

He let out the breath in a fiery scream, announcing his presence with that and the loud creaking of the door.

The stranger could hardly turn when Tweek charged. Tweek’s voice carried a loud thunder that would surely wake the kids.

The lamp collided with the stranger’s head, shattering in that instant. The man collapsed onto the floor with a bloody head. A stranger. 

Tweek breathes heavily, staring down at his work. The stranger sprawled on the floor, looking like no man Tweek recognized. Shards of the lamp littered the floor around his head.

“Mommy?” It was a broken whisper.

Tweek looked up and saw Bella, beginning to cry as she gripped one of her pillows. Behind her was Lizzy who also looked to be fighting tears.

He breathed out a low cry. “Are you okay?”

“Mommy...” Bella sniffled, lifting her arms to reach Tweek. He easily complied and leaned down to hold her, then hook his arm around Lizzy too.

Bella sobbed into his shoulder. Lizzy began sniffing too.

Tweek held them tightly. Then he heard the sirens.

•••

Tweek sat in the lobby of the police station. He leaned his head back against the wall while the girls snuggled onto his lap.

The police said the stranger must’ve been watching their house, waiting for a vulnerable point. When Craig’s car never parked, the vulnerability was clear.

Tweek held the girls closer, enclosing them with as much safety as he could apply to their sleeping figures. They were safe. They were okay.

“Tweek!” Someone yelled. “Where are you?!”

He jolted up and looked around for the caller. Standing by the door with a deranged look in his face was a disheveled Craig. When the alpha spotted his omega, he easily pushed he officer who was telling him to calm down away.

Tweek was barely able to stand when Craig collided into him with a tight grip. His arms wrapped around Tweek’s frail shoulders and wiry waist, putting so much pressure that the omega felt like he could pop. Tweek relished the feeling and hugged his mate back.

“I’m so sorry, Tweek,” Craig sighed, pressing his nose into his mate’s neck and began scenting. The omega let him. “I—I—I should’ve been there. I got the call and I just... I’m so glad you’re okay. I even felt it, your fear. I’m such a failure. I let you get _hurt_ and the kids... Jesus, I’m so glad you’re okay.”

Tweek didn’t say anything. He just let himself be engulfed by his scenting alpha, knowing that nothing could stop his stubborn mate anyway. He breathed in Craig’s scent and melted.

“Tweek... we can’t stay in South Park.”

Tweek didn’t say anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof 
> 
> Watch out for Wednesday


	13. •EXTRA #2•

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nothing and everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Still on time y’all)  
> This chapter is featuring my first ever South Park ship.   
> And, a little disclaimer, if ur like super religious and condemn all loose interpretations of God and Hell and stuff, I highly suggest you don’t read this.

It was time.

The day that he had been waiting for.

After years of stewing in his kingdom, watching all come and pass, he had counted down the days until this one had arrived.

Damien had combed his hair. He brushed his teeth. He wore his nice clothes. He practiced his lines. He demanded his father stay away. He was ready. 

Ever since meeting that kid at the playground, Damien knew there was one person he actually wanted in Hell. And after that kid would arrive as an omega adult, Damien would crown him as queen to rule beside him in eternity.

The very idea thrilled him.

He had met many people in his many years of living. Some beautiful and some hideous. Some kind and some mean. Some smart and some stupid. And of those people, his favorite were the hideous and the mean and the stupid. They were the most fun.

Human life had always been a fun concept to Damien. People bursted into life, delirious and lost. And once they found their way, it was a long and treacherous path. Through it, they became the beautiful or the hideous; the kind and the mean; the smart and the stupid. The nastiest fun of it was the end, where they marched off the edge of their path and off an unexpected cliff, just as delirious and lost as they started.

They were all shows and small bursts of interest. He sometimes walked those paths, weaving in and out of people’s lives like a walk at the zoo. The most interesting paths were the winding and the cracked and dangerous ones; the ones that most beautiful, kind, and smart people had hardly walked.

There was one person, however, that intrigued Damien the most.

His life held strife and misery and danger. It screamed to be the one of a terrible creature in humanity. The show that Damien wanted to tune into.

However, the one staring it down was a beautiful, kind, and smart boy.

The one that Damien has combed his hair for and now waiting at the entrance to Hell for to be the first to greet his love to rest of his eternity.

The one, Damien realized with a cruel wash of sadness, who would not become a victim of Hell.

Pip was going to Heaven.

•••

Damien had watched Pip’s death over and over in his head.

A statue tilted and collapsed onto the unsuspecting omega. It was a gruesome death for such a pure 20-year-old boy. After all the hardships he smiled through, there was no life left to brighten his beautiful face.

Damien had been ecstatic. With a grin of his own, he waited for a red fire to engulf Pip’s soul and carry him to Hell. Once the omega’s presence was made through the flamed entrance, Damien would approach him with a proposal.

Instead,a figure fell gently from the sky. A pale woman with a cloud of blonde hair following behind her landed gracefully beside Pip’s dead body, completely disregarding the people surrounding it. Her white wings slowly condensed behind her back as she knelt down to touch the omega’s face. She was invisible to all mortals who panicked around her.

Soon after, she pulled out a sort of orb from his heart. Though it didn’t seem solid, it fit right between the women’s fingers, glowing and twinkling.

She stared at it for a moment, mesmerized. Damien knew it was because of how rare the purity of it was. He even gaped at its beauty. 

Then, as if she knew exactly that Damien was watching through Hell’s eye, she smirked right at him and lifted a pale middle finger at him before flying away.

Damien glared as Pip’s soul was being carried to Heaven.

•••

Heaven was a place Damien tried to avoid. And by the way they all scurried or winced at the sight of the Devil’s son storming atop the cloudy ground, it seemed the angels preferred it that way as well.

He was the sorest thumb of the scene. He was surrounded by blinding lights and the color white; in comparison, Damien was dressed in his usual black clothes and stared ahead with his dead, red eyes. What really stood out, though, was his anger.

Anyone who could see (which was everyone in heaven since all were gifted all their senses and abilities ) noticed the fury in him. His fists clenched to his sides; his strides were long and purposeful; his lips were fixed in a deep scowl; his eyes were ablaze.

He swiftly walked past the common place of the angels and headed directly to the tall tower that stood in the center of the cloud kingdom. No one tried to stop him less they wished to be dragged down into his Hell. 

Inside the tower, he took the first available elevator, which instantly became available once everyone realized his intentions. He had no time to admire the organized and modern beauty of the tower by the time he looked at the array of buttons.

He stared at the buttons intensely until a new one appeared on the top. The top floor was only accessible to those who had a proper reason to go. The button was a rare sight that nearly no once-mortal would ever be able to lay their eyes on.

Damien smashed it angrily, making the elevator gleam a special light and shoot high up into the sky into a completely different tier. 

Once there, he stepped out the elevator and into nothing. Absolutely nothing. He was there, and that was the end of it.

“GOD!” He called loudly, although a simple whisper would catch His attention. “SPEAK TO ME!”

**Son Of Satan**

Everywhere and nowhere the voice came from. Loud and quiet. Soft and hard. Everything and nothing.

“Give him to me!” Damien commanded. “The boy you took! GIVE HIM TO ME!”

**He Does Not Belong To Your Realm**

“I stake my claim on him! I’ve waited!”

**He Belongs Here**

“NO!”

Damien’s figure quaked crazily, shaking everything and nothing. His body bursted into a flame, engulfing nothing and everything. He knew it had no effect, yet his anger had built up in him.

**Why Do You Desire His Soul**

Damien breathed heavily before answering.

“He will be my partner. He shall be by my side so we could rule Hell together.”

**Why Him**

“It must be him! I desire no one else!”

**His Soul Is Pure**

**Too Pure For Your Realm**

**Too Pure To Stand Beside You**

“I DON’T CARE!”

There was silence for a long moment. In that time, Damien flexed his fingers in and out of fists. As a being who did not need to breathe, his chest was pumping furiously.

**I Can See Your Passion Son Of Satan**

**However I Cannot Allow Him To Switch Realms As So**

“Wh-“

**Though I Can Arrange Something Else**

Damien froze. He stared at everything and nothing.

“Tell me, then.”

•••

Damien stood near the entrance of a Catholic college in the middle of Colorado. It was the last place on Earth that a person would imagine a being as powerful and Hell-bound as the son of Satan himself to be.

Yet Damien was there, in the form of a 20-year-old alpha human. The sensation of being in such a solid realm again felt weird on his skin. He hated the mortality on him despite it being a facade.

Though, as he stared across the court at a young, blonde man who walked happily to orientation, he remembered his whole mission of being here.

Phillip Pirrup was here and alive thanks to second chance blessed upon him.

It had been the deal made with God.

This angel shall return to mortality and his soul shall be subjected to afterlife conviction once again.

Damien, Son of Satan, was here to bring sin into the purest soul there ever was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DON’T FORGET that after I’m done with this story, I will be working on a new one and this storyline will be featured in it. So yeah
> 
> If my whole being-on-time phase lasts, I will see you Sunday!


	14. •FOURTEEN•

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Contractions and convictions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, 
> 
> I don’t even know. 
> 
> After school ended, I just flopped. 
> 
> Anyway, DISCLAIMER: this chapter is actually pretty shitty and I wrote the characters terribly and it’s unbelievably rushed and I hate it and I should’ve done a better job with all the time I had but fuck it bc i just want to wrap it up 
> 
> Also I’ve been cussing a lot more lately

Leo had tea with Tweek that day. It was at the newly opened café at the edge of town. He had ginger and mint tea whereas Tweek had coffee. They shared a rather large biscuit.

That was the story Leo stuck to. He repeated it in his mind over and over, expanding it to answer all hypothetical questions that Kenny may throw at him, assuming Kenny would start interrogating Leo out of nowhere. It was an overkill, Leo knew, but he’d rather be safe than sorry. Besides, he had all the time in the world to make up a story.

It made Leo sick (different to pregnancy sick) to have lied to Kenny, his loving and truthful mate. Their love was beyond that—beyond lies. Before the past month, Leo had no reason to deceive Kenny and he had no intention to.

Yet there was one other thing that made him _more_  sick to even think of doing: telling Kenny about his father.

Every time a confession to the truth boiled in the back of Leo’s throat, images looped of Kenny in the car, after Kenny mentioned Stephan’s upcoming release from prison. The slam of Kenny’s fist onto the steering wheel echoed in Leo’s head. It felt like his scent of aggression and hate still lingered in Leo’s nose. It was hard to imagine what Kenny would do if Leo told him that he actually met up with his father.

Would he yell again? Would he hit something?

Would he hit Leo?

The thought sent an unwanted shiver down Leo’s spine. Kenny would never do that. Kenny promised that many times before. _I love you. And I would never hurt the people I love._

Kenny loves Leo. And he would never hurt the person he loves.

Leo kept thinking that until his nerves would calm. He’d think of Kenny hugging him from behind. He’d think of Kenny giving the kids piggy back rides. He’d think of his family being happy together, with no urge to hurt each other.

Yet still, dark images twisted in his mind. Kenny throwing Leo to the ground and standing over him with an intentionally aimed fist. Kenny barking at the kids and telling them they were useless and pathetic. The family, shattered, and fearing the late nights when Kenny came home drunk.

Leo didn’t want to be like his mom. He didn’t want to either live in constant fear or be safe from Kenny’s abuse at the expense of his children’s happiness and wellness. He didn’t want to slowly succumb to standing beside Kenny while the alpha showed his primitive dominance over their kids. He didn’t want to eventually suck into the ideal that the children deserved it. He didn’t want to slowly lose his mind while Katie, Korey, and, soon, Kaden lost all hope in a childhood.

It was those thoughts that kept Leo’s mouth shut. It was those thoughts that Leo expanded the story of his lie.

Leo hated what Stephan did to him. Not only the scars that were just faded on his back but the jagged scars in his heart. Even with the man just wanting to apologize made Leo start doubting all the love he’d ever been given.

Kenny loves Leo. And he would never hurt the person he loves.

Kenny loves Leo.

Kenny loves.

•••

The contractions started.

They were far apart and not worth rushing to the hospital yet. However that meant the kids were sent to stay with the Tuckers for the day and possibly the next—it really meant Craig was stuck watching the kids on his day off because Tweek had to work. It also meant that Kenny was tied to his side. It was easy for Kenny to slip out of work and easier to wrap his arm around Leo’s shoulders and mutter sweet nothings.

“Kaden will be a badass, I can already tell,” Kenny muttered sweetly.

Leo snorted and snuggled his head against his mate. “What about Katie and Korey? You don’t think they’ll be badass?”

“Katie will be an adventurer. Korey will be sweet. Also Kaden will be short.”

“Wow, how do you know?”

“Well they _were_  my sperm—“

“Don’t be gross!” Leo laughed. He was about to playfully slap Kenny’s arm before a dull pain surged through him. He took a deep breath and then it was gone.

“Another?” Kenny asked as if he didn’t already know.

“Another,” Leo nodded.

Leo rested on the easy chair with his legs propped and comfy. Kenny stood behind the chair with his arms secured around the omega, drooping his head beside Leo’s. It was pleasant.

“I’m craving something,” Leo said.

“What is it?”

“You’re not gonna’ get it.”

“Why wouldn’t I? Just tell me and I’ll go to the kitchen right now.”

“It’s not in the kitchen though.”

“Then where?”

“Tweek’s famous cupcakes are at the coffee shop.”

Kenny picked up his head and frowned. Leo smiled softly and pet his alpha’s hair. One the last things an alpha wanted to do was leave his omega so close to birth.

“I’ll survive without it,” Leo sighed.

“Do you really want it?”

“It’s fine.”

“Do you though?”

“I mean, yeah, but it’s fine.”

“I’ll get it for you you real quick.” Another thing an alpha would not want to do is allow his omega to be displeased so close to birth.

Kenny was already up and omega felt a little cold without him. His alpha already had it covered by draping a blanket over Leo.

“Thanks you, baby,” Leo smiled.

“Only because you’re cute,” Kenny smiled back. He left after placing a gentle kiss on Leo’s forehead. He waved with a grin and was gone.

The pleasantness still stayed in the air. Leo rubbed his stomach and suffered through another minor contraction.

Everything was good, until it wasn’t.

  
•••

Leo heard the door open. He sighed deeply when the scent of his mate reached him. With a hand over his stomach, he called out, “Kenny I—“

He stopped.

The moment he looked up was the moment he truly grasped the smell of Kenny’s scent. It was a like a dull yet intense sourness. It made Leo’s eyebrows twitch with its rancidness.

There was only one other time he smelled it in the past two decades. The image of Kenny hitting the car’s steering wheel flashed.

What was worse was Kenny’s face. He’d left with a soft smile and promise of warmth and serenity. Yet now he stood, bringing only a wrath behind his eyes. His lips were pursed together like magnets. His eyebrows sat sternly above his eyes. And, worst of all, his eyes bore intensely at Leo. One layer of his eyes was an accusation. The second was anger. And the last, most painfully, was betrayal.

Leo froze. _He knows._ He thought _. He knows. He knows. He knows._

Leo swallowed thickly and shifted uncontrollably in his chair. His hand instinctively rested on his stomach. Why did he have to be defensive around his own husband?

“Kenny?” Leo’s voice wavered despite himself. He swallowed again.

Kenny walked more into the house and rested a paper bag on the little table by the door. Then he stared down at Leo again. Accusation. Anger. Betrayal.

“I talked to Tweek at the shop.” Kenny’s voice was low. Too low. It made Leo want to cry.

“Okay,” managed Leo.

Kenny stared at Leo for a long moment. He took a few steps closer until his hands were resting on the back of the couch that stood almost directly across from the chair Leo sat in. A couch and a coffee table separated Kenny from Leo and their child. When Leo was just a kid, it was his bedroom door that separated his father from him; the bedroom door never stopped his father though.

“Y’know I always worry about what you eat and drink while you’re pregnant,” Kenny continued in the same low and dangerous voice. His eyes narrowed. “So you know what I asked Tweek while I was there?”

_He knows. He knows. He knows._

Leo felt a contraction. It surged through him for a moment, making his breath hitch and for Kenny to pause. After it passed, Kenny squared his shoulders.

“‘What did Leo drink when he was having tea with you?’” Kenny quoted. His head tilted and his eyes slitted more. Accusation. “That’s what I asked him.”

“Kenny—“

“Know what he said, Leo?” Kenny ignored him. His voice grew louder and Leo shivered. This was bad. Everything was bad. Leo’s heart thundered in his chest. “He asked me... ‘what are you talking about?’”

“Ken, please, I-I—“

“ _So_  you know what I had to do?” His voice got louder. Anger. “I had to figure out where you were when you said you were having _tea_  with Tweek. I really didn’t want to do this but I did because you’ve been acting real strange: I called your mom.”

Leo began to shake slightly. His heart was loud in his ears. He tried to calm it by thinking about Kaden.

“Kenny, not today, please, not today—“

“ _No,_  Leo,” Kenny growled. Leo flinched.

Leo realized he wasn’t talking to Kenny anymore. He was talking to an angry alpha—one that would not calm down until he got everything out of his system. His eyes were painted red.

“I called Linda, and guess. What. She. Told. Me,” Kenny said painstakingly slow. His nails dug deep into the couch. Leo felt something warm rolled down his cheek, and he quickly wiped it away. “Guess what she told me, Leo.”

“Kenny,” Leo whispered, knowing that his voice would fail him if he tried to talk. “Not now, please. I’m begging you.”

“Guess what she _fucking_  told me” Kenny said, almost yelling. Leo’s eyes watered again, pushing out another tear. He thought about his father beating him. He thought about Kenny hitting the steering wheel.

Kenny loves Leo. And he would never hurt anyone he loves.

Leo stayed silent; words couldn’t pass his lips. Instead he closed his eyes and tried not to cry.

Out of a bit of anger, Kenny gripped one the couch pillows and hurled it sideways into a lamp. It shattered on the wood floor and darkened the room more. Leo gasped and two tears escaped his eyes. He lifted his hands to cover his stomach.

Kenny loves Leo.

“GUESS WHAT SHE FUCKING TOLD ME!” Kenny barked and Leo let out a fragile sob. Leo cowered as much as he could in the depths of his chair. He barred tightly around his stomach to protect it at all costs. He was not going to lose another child to an angry man.

“Kenny.... I’m sorry,” Leo croaked. He shook his head repeatedly. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

“How could you fucking go to him Leo?!” Kenny snarled. He slammed his fist on the couch. “How could you possibly be so—so _stupid_  to subject yourself to him?! You know what he did to you, so why the fuck would you go back?!”

Betrayal.

Words had stopped hurting Leo a long, long time ago. His father’s shouts and profanity had become numb. His tells of Leo’s stupidity and uselessness has become a bleak reminder, yet nothing more.

But now as Leo sat there, flinching at every word his mate yelled at him, he couldn’t believe that it was Kenny saying these things. The same Kenny who had stolen his heart. The same Kenny who rescued him from his father. The same Kenny he married.

“What if you lost the baby?!” Kenny continued. “We already lost one once thanks to him, and you fucking go back?! What did you expect to happen, Leo, really?! He’s not changed. He’s no different than the monster who abused you all through your childhood!”

Around there in the middle of Kenny’s hateful speech, Leo felt it. It was a pop he’d get before. And then a wetness spread from his crotch and down his thighs. The ordeal was covered by the blanket that Leo was wrapped under in.

“He could’ve fucking done something again! What if I lost you and Kaden?! Huh?! I seriously don’t understand what you could’ve _possibly_ been thinking! Were you fucking STUPID?!”

Even through Kenny’s yelling, Leo rested his head numbly against the back of his chair. He couldn’t even hear Kenny anymore. He stared at the corner of the wall without expression. He’d done this too when he rested at the bottom of the stairs that his father had thrown him off. He’d done this, all those years ago, when he realized his baby was gone.

But now, Leo said, “my water broke.”

It was like all the anger evaporated from Kenny’s voice. “What?”

•••

In the car ride to the hospital, Leo didn’t say anything. Not even when he felt a contraction rip through him. Kenny was too focused on panicking to get to his destination that he had forgotten his anger.

In the hospital, he listened to Kenny’s words of encouragement. *Kaden is here. He’s going to be our little badass.* Leo didn’t say anything in response.

He gripped his mate’s hand during birth, screaming at the top of his lungs as little Kaden ripped through him. Kenny had let him, brushing the hair and sweat off Leo’s forehead and muttering little sweet things.

And before he knew it, Leo was lying on his hospital bed with a baby in his arms. Little Kaden hummed restlessly, alive and well. Leo smiled down at him.

Kenny sat on a chair beside the mother. He was also smiling, resting a hand on Leo’s leg.

For both Katie and Korey’s birth, Kenny had been lying on the bed beside Leo. He had his arms below Leo’s head so that they could both stare at their child comfortably and happily. But now, Leo has a hard time just standing the idea of Kenny touching his leg.

A part of him knew he’d never forget the previous incident. But another part of him wished he could. The whole of him wished it had never happened. Perhaps it would have been better if he never kept his visit to his father a secret, or if he’d brought Kenny along, or if he had never gone in the first place.

Kenny reached out a gentle hand to touch Kaden’s hand but Leo instinctively held the baby closer. He glared at Kenny before he knew what he was doing. It was always an omega’s instinct to protect their young, regardless who they were protecting it from. And the angry scent still lingered in Leo’s nose. Kenny McCormick was a danger.

Kenny’s smile dropped into a shameful frown. He rested his hand back down on the bed and sighed.

“I’m sorry,” he said simply, eyes downcast. Leo swallowed thickly. “I can’t control myself when it comes to your father. I just get too angry I—“

There was a flare of sour scent and Leo held the baby tighter. Kenny noticed and immediately calmed down.

“I would never want to hurt you in any way,” Kenny said. He looked pleadingly into Leo’s eyes. “I know I’ve been irrational lately, but that’s because...”

He trailed off. He blinked a few time and cleared his throat.

In a quiet voice, he said, “I remember everything that happened—all the terrible things your dad did to you. I hated it so much to the point that I actually _prayed_ he would die. He hurt you and he hurt me and... he took away... he took away our first. Every time I hear anything about your father, I think about what could’ve been. I didn’t want either of us to feel that again with Kaden.”

Kenny’s eyes watered and threatened to spill. In a surprise, Leo didn’t feel like crying at all. Having someone to protect—Kaden—made Leo feel stronger. He wondered if that was what Kenny felt; it made this alpha strong and nurturing. Then he wondered about his father; that strength had led the man to abusive power. Perhaps that was how villains were made: their sense for power came from hate rather than love.

Kenny wasn’t a villain. Leo had no doubt of that.

Leo rested a tired hand on Kenny’s head. Kenny looked up at him. Leo smiled.

“You really were an asshole,” Leo mumbled. Kenny’s lips twitched as he exhaled. “I know the situation with my father is... frustrating. But Kenny—“ Leo tightened his hand in Kenny’s hair with as much strength the could muster, making Kenny gasp and wince— “take it out on me or the kids, and we’re through.”

Leo released. Kenny’s head dropped slightly and a hand went up to immediately soothe his pain.

“Never again,” Kenny promised. “I regret everything I’d done today. I should’ve focused on your Kaden more than your father. I was being stupid.”

“You were,” Leo frowned. Then he struggled to scoot near the other edge of the bed. “C’mon. Get up here, Kenny.”

Kenny wasted no time to do so, only hesitating to make sure that both the mother and son were comfortable. Leo lay his head on Kenny’s resting bicep as they both smiled down at their baby.

“I love you,” Kenny whispered into the side of Leo’s hair. His hand lightly brushed Kaden’s head.

“I’m still mad,” Leo muttered back.

“Is there any way I can get you to forgive me?”

Leo thought for a second. He looked down at Kaden and thought about how his mom has held Katie and waited in the hospital for Korey.

“Yes, actually.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reminder: if someone in your life has a fucking explosion like Kenny just had, GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM THEM!! I cannot stress that enough! This fic is so very unrealistic and stupid! 
> 
> Also, I AM going to update soon, Bc I have the majority of the next chapter ready. I’ll try to get it up Wednesday to make up for my slacking. However. I must warn u that my schedule gets super full after the 14th and it’ll be like that for 2 weeks. So, I may go on a random shitty break 
> 
> For those who are still here, you guys are patient as fuck Jesus Christ like how do u even do that 
> 
> Thank you SO MUCH for sticking through my bullshit :’)


End file.
